Vowles, formerly chief strategist during Mercedes’ most successful period between 2014 and 2020, added that the Mercedes-powered team needed to “push the boundaries”.
“I made it clear to the organisation that the weight of failure rests on my shoulders, and don’t want anyone else to be restrained by the fear of failure, or anyone to be restrained by the fear of pushing outside the boundaries of what they’re comfortable with, ” the 44-year-old said.
“Now is the time, and you have my support, to break from what you know and go back to the fundamentals and start again.”
Albon finished 13th in the drivers’ title last year with 27 points following a season in which he qualified fourth on the grid at the Dutch Grand Prix.
Albon out-qualified team-mate Logan Sargeant in all 22 races during the American’s first year in the sport, in which he struggled to keep pace with Albon, who enters his fifth season on the grid, having previously driven for Toro Rosso and Red Bull.
Williams are in their fifth season of ownership under US investment company Dorilton Capital following the sale of the team by Sir Frank Williams and his family.
The team first competed in F1 in 1975 and enjoyed several periods of success through the 1980s and 1990s, which included seven drivers’ championships – one each for Britons Nigel Mansell in 1992 and Damon Hill in 1996.
Frank Williams died in 2021 after spending much of his life in a wheelchair as a tetraplegic following a car accident in 1986.
