“Ferrari is a religion in Italy”: Former Mercedes man discusses evolution of F1 fandom, cites Lewis Hamilton’s stature as example

For team principal James Vowles, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was the most visible sign of progress he has pushed for since leaving Mercedes to lead the Grove-based outfit in 2023. The past weekend gave Williams a breakthrough moment as Carlos Sainz delivered their first full-race podium in eight years at Baku.

Speaking on the Jimmy’s Jobs of the Future podcast later, Vowles discussed how Formula 1 fandom has evolved. He explained how new fans interact with teams and drivers differently than in the past, reflecting a cultural shift across the sport.

"The best I could describe it to you now is when you walk into Silverstone, you’re greeted by a thousand fans, that have been there since 5:00 a.m. in the morning, just to have the opportunity to say hello to you. And as you go through, very typically there’ll be something like a Williams shirt and a McLaren cap or a Ferrari cap and a McLaren shirt or you get the idea. Effectively, it’s a mix between an individual that I haven’t seen previously. And it’s becoming more and more apparent." (31:35 onwards)

James Vowles sees this blending of allegiances as one of the clearest signs of how F1 has changed. In the Netflix era, fans often enter the sport through drivers rather than teams, creating cross-loyalty between established giants such as Ferrari, McLaren, and Williams.

James Vowles discusses the evolution of F1 fan engagement. Source: Getty

Lewis Hamilton, who recently moved to Ferrari, brought his own fans, adding to the tifosi. That’s a departure from the traditional one team, for life commitment that defined older generations of followers.

"Whereas previous to that, you’re right, it was very much about the team and that still is in some cases. I'd say Ferrari is a religion in Italy more than anything else. And when you support Ferrari, you feel so connected to it that that’s where your connection lies. And it’s irrespective which driver is in there. Then you’ve got icons like Lewis Hamilton who's transcended the sport, gone into a different world, done things that are mind-blowing in terms of achievements, and that’s where someone feels a dedication towards at the same time." (32:27 onwards)

For Vowles, this represents the dual pull of F1’s modern fandom, where teams retain deep cultural weight, but transcendent figures like Hamilton shape global followings that move beyond the garage walls.

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"I was fortunate at Mercedes": James Vowles reflects on Mercedes years before Williams breakthrough

Toto Wolff, Mercedes Director, and Williams Team Principal, James Vowles, at Circuit de Monaco. Source: Getty

Before arriving at Williams, James Vowles spent more than a decade at Mercedes during their run of dominance in the hybrid era. Initially, he was an engineer and then became a strategist, and eventually became the Motorsport Strategy Director.

Speaking on the podcast, Vowles discussed how he transitioned into a broader leadership role and highlighted his time under Toto Wolff and the exposure he gained over there.

"It’s a challenge, but I relish the challenge. So we’re okay. I was fortunate at Mercedes, A - to be a part of some really great senior leaders but B - I had Toto. It really provided me a quite a bit of rope to go and do what I needed to with," he said. (13:19 onwards)

His background in contracts, finance, and strategy at Mercedes gave him the grounding to take over at Williams, where structural rebuilding was the first priority. The Azerbaijan podium showed those foundations finally paying off, proof that the approach Vowles learned in Brackley has carried over into Grove.