Two former Mercedes masterminds, Andy Cowell and James Vowles, are now leading rival Formula 1 teams, earning high praise from their former boss, Toto Wolff.
Cowell and his team at Aston Martin have taken the reins as both team principal and group CEO, stepping in after Mike Krack’s departure during the 2024 off-season.
Meanwhile, Vowles and his Williams team have been making strides since he assumed the team principal role in 2023, following his tenure as Mercedes’ motorsport strategy director.
Cowell’s motorsport journey began in the late 1990s with Cosworth’s graduate scheme, where his team helped design the engine that powered Johnny Herbert to victory for Stewart at the 1999 European Grand Prix.
After a brief stint with BMW in 2000 during their debut with Williams, Cowell returned to Cosworth in 2001 as principal engineer for F1 design and development.
Joining Mercedes in 2004, he later became managing director of their High Performance Powertrains (HPP) in 2013, overseeing the creation of the dominant turbo-hybrid power unit that fueled Mercedes’ seven consecutive constructors’ titles from 2014 to 2020.
Reflecting on Cowell’s leadership, Wolff said at a recent media event, “Andy was one of the strongest managers I’ve ever seen, not just in motorsport but across all businesses. He balanced technical brilliance with exceptional people skills.
“We used to joke when we had engine issues, he’d be so hands-on, I’d ask if his nails were dirty from tinkering with the pistons after qualifying. He always had everything under control.”
Cowell assumed Aston Martin’s group CEO role from Martin Whitmarsh in July 2024, later taking on team principal duties as well, positioning his team for a bold new chapter.
Vowles, meanwhile, began his F1 career with BAR in 2001, staying through its transitions to Honda, Brawn GP, and eventually Mercedes in 2010. His strategic expertise shone in 2009, when Brawn GP’s team secured the constructors’ championship and Jenson Button clinched the drivers’ title.
Vowles’ Williams team have since been carving their path, showing steady progress under his leadership.
“James could have been a team principal at Mercedes if I hadn’t been in the way,” Wolff admitted with a smile, speaking alongside Cowell and Vowles. “He chose his own route, and he’s doing it brilliantly, as you can see.”
The next chapter in the 2025 F1 season unfolds at the Canadian Grand Prix, where teams will battle over 70 laps of the 4.361-kilometer Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Sunday, June 15.
