Williams team principal James Vowles has become a father again shortly after the British Grand Prix – the birth was originally expected during the race weekend
James Vowles and his wife Rachel Rolph have welcomed their second child together. The Williams team boss announced the birth on social media on Thursday, July 10, confirming that his partner and the baby are doing well.
“Welcome to the world, little treasure! Rachel and the baby are healthy and happy,” said Vowles. The couple already have a 19-month-old daughter named Elodie.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Vowles recently spoke openly about his relationship with his wife and revealed details of their first date: “I said right away, ‘I have to warn you—my work is my life, and I work very long hours.’”
“And she said, ‘I work very long hours too.’ And I was like, ‘No, no, no, I really work very long hours.’ We actually calculated it. And honestly, Formula 1 still comes out on top — but only just,“ said Vowles.
”My wife is incredible. She’s one of the best surgeons in the UK. She got a double first at Oxford, then worked in the emergency room at Whitechapel, and then specialized in plastic surgery and breast cancer.“
”She’s pretty unique. She can diagnose breast cancer, perform the mastectomy and then do the reconstruction,“ says Vowles, who reveals: ”She’s currently doing a PhD on the use of mesh in reconstruction after a mastectomy.”
Welcome to the world little one! Rachel and baby are healthy and happy pic.twitter.com/LgvFNdEH1L
— James Vowles (@JV_F1) July 10, 2025
“Honestly, this is life-changing work. I only work in Formula 1. She’s the smart one of the two of us,” said Vowles. For 46-year-old Vowles, it could have been a critical overlap, as the birth of his second child was expected over the weekend of the British Grand Prix.
But as always, he was prepared: “As you would expect from me, I have contingency plans. I have plans upon plans upon plans… We are prepared, including a helicopter on standby and everything else!”
Williams ultimately scored four World Championship points at Silverstone after Alexander Albon finished eighth. Teammate Carlos Sainz took twelfth place.
The Grove-based team is currently fifth in the constructors’ standings with 59 points, followed by Sauber in sixth with 41 points after Nico Hülkenberg made a strong comeback from 19th to third at Silverstone.