Revving Up for Glory: James Vowles Makes a Triumphant Return to Endurance Racing at Gulf 12 Hours!
In an electrifying announcement that has sent shockwaves through the motorsport community, James Vowles, the mastermind behind Williams Formula 1, is gearing up to make his much-anticipated return to the racetrack! Mark your calendars for December 14, 2025, as Vowles will be donning his racing helmet once again, this time competing in the prestigious Gulf 12 Hours with the renowned Garage 59 team.
At 46 years old, Vowles is no stranger to the thrill of endurance racing. His last competitive outing was in 2022 when he passionately participated in all four rounds of the Asian Le Mans Series, piloting the agile McLaren 720S GT3. This December, he will take to the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, armed with the Evo spec of that very McLaren, just one week after the conclusion of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
Vowles will be teaming up with a stellar lineup of talent, including the 2024 Pro-Am winner Alexander West, two-time International GT Open Pro-Am champion Marco Pulcini, and the 2025 Am runner-up Mark Sansom. In a statement that oozes excitement, Vowles expressed, “The chance to put on a race helmet again is something I relish. Garage 59 is a team I know well from our time together in 2022. The Gulf 12 Hours is a fantastic event with a competitive grid. It will be a pleasure to share the car with Alex, Mark, and Marco, and to experience racing from the driver’s seat again.”
Vowles joined Williams in 2023, but his competitive spirit was alive and well while he was still the strategy director at Mercedes, during which he participated in the Asian Le Mans Series, earning two points in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. His racing history also includes saloon racing in the UK back in 2015, as well as spectacular show runs at events like the Goodwood Festival of Speed—where he wowed the crowd by attempting the hillclimb in a 1992 F1 world-championship-winning Williams.
Andrew Kirkaldy, Garage 59’s team principal, couldn’t contain his enthusiasm about Vowles’ return, stating, “We thoroughly enjoyed working with James during the 2022 ALMS campaign. His approach and professionalism, and of course his knowledge of strategy, made it a very enjoyable collaboration. Bringing him back for the Gulf 12 Hours is something we’re all excited about, and we’re looking forward to seeing what we can achieve together in Abu Dhabi.”
Since its inception in 2016, Garage 59 has made a name for itself, competing in various championships like the GT World Challenge Europe, Intercontinental GT Challenge, ALMS, and British GT. The team specializes in running elite machines from McLaren, Ferrari, and Aston Martin, and they are set to make waves in the GT World Challenge and the World Endurance Championship in 2026.
With the countdown to the Gulf 12 Hours officially on, anticipation is building. Can James Vowles reclaim his former glory and make a mark in endurance racing once again? Fans around the world are on the edge of their seats, eagerly awaiting what promises to be a thrilling spectacle in Abu Dhabi!
