James Vowles clarifies ‘isn’t special’ Mick Schumacher comment

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James Vowles has apologised to Mick Schumacher after claiming he “isn’t special” and clarified he was saying that in comparison to multiple World Champions such as Ayrton Senna and Lewis Hamilton.

Speaking to the media in Monza ahead of Franco Colapinto’s Williams debut, Vowles was asked to explain why he had chosen the Williams junior over Schumacher to replace Logan Sargeant.

James Vowles has apologised to Mick Schumacher

Replying that the Mercedes reserve driver fitted into the category of “not special”, the Williams team principal added: “I think we have to be straightforward about this. Mick isn’t special, he would have just been good.”

His comments were later put to Schumacher’s Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who is also Vowles’ former boss.

“I’ve obviously known James for many years, he’s a strategist,” Wolff told Sky F1. “Sometimes he says things too straightforwardly. That was a statement he could have done without.

They are, however, words that Vowles has since chosen to clarify while also apologising to the German driver.

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“What really came across is me using the word ‘special’ in context of Mick and I really want to clarify that,” the Williams team boss told F1TV. “First and foremost I’m not here to put Mick down.

“Mick is in a World Championship team that has chosen him as a reserve driver and there’s good reason behind it, it’s because he’s an incredibly strong candidate.

“The word ‘special’, I used it in the context of multiple World Champions — like Ayrton Senna, and Lewis as well. Clearly, that’s a foolish thing to do because that’s the comparison.

“Here’s where Mick is, he’s had a tough run of it, he has made some exceptional progress and he’s in a very strong team around him.

“Our decision is based on the fact that we want to go with our academy and our drivers.

“I’ve apologised Mick as well. He didn’t request anything but it’s important to me because he’s incredibly close to me and it just came off entirely the wrong way.

“More than anything else I wanted that to be abundantly clear.

“Don’t doubt his abilities but we as Williams have to go with our academy and it’s what we’re doing.”

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