Atlassian Williams Racing boss James Vowles completes strong line-up for Garage 59 in Gulf 12 Hours

Atlassian Williams Racing Team Principal, James Vowles, will return to competitive racing this December as he joins British race team, Garage 59, for the Gulf 12 Hours at Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina Circuit.

The endurance race, held just one week after the conclusion of the Formula 1® season, will see Vowles combine his day job with stepping back into the cockpit. He will share a McLaren GT3 EVO with experienced Garage 59 racers: Alexander West, Mark Sansom and Marco Pulcini. West was in the winning Pro-Am line-up at the 2024 Gulf 12 Hours while Sansom and Pulcini are fresh from a successful showing in International GT Open so the line-up is strong.

Since taking the helm at Williams in 2023, Vowles has overseen a transformative period for the team, guiding it to its most successful season in nine years and re-establishing strong momentum for one of the most historic British teams on the F1® grid.

“The chance to put on a race helmet again is something I relish,” said Vowles. “Garage 59 is a team I know well from our time together in 2022, and 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.”

Garage 59 last worked with Vowles during the 2022 Asian Le Mans Series and is looking forward to rekindling the collaboration. James has prepared for this race by testing with the team during the 2025 season.

“We thoroughly enjoyed working with James during the 2022 Asian Le Mans campaign,” said Team Principal, Andrew Kirkaldy. 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.”