Terrific news for Williams, I am genuinely excited for their journey - Vowles is setting up a lot of stuff behind the scenes for the long run. There’s one move that I think would be fabulous for them, and that’s to bring Danny Ricc there. He would probably need to take a pay cut, but him and Albion would be a great match, a fun pairing, and a great pair with the experience Williams need to go on the journey. I think it’s the perfect environment for Ricciardo to have the fun he needs to be at his best and out perform expectations. I think that would be a real story fans could get behind and root for. Anyway, let’s see how things shake out!
Good point about Danny . Can’t see it happening though . If he stops all that drink from your shoe crap , then he may get another chance .
Williams announces raft of new F1 technical department hires British team reveals it has signed several senior technical engineers from rival squads, as well as ex-Alpine technical director Matt Harman please log in to view this image Williams has announced it has signed a swathe of senior Formula 1 technical staff from rival teams, plus ex-Alpine technical director Matt Harman. The five top hires are included in a group of 26 new engineers Williams has signed in a major recruitment spree the team has recently enacted, with a particular focus on bolstering its aerodynamics and design offices. The new staff will report to Williams’s chief technical officer Pat Fry, who joined the team last November after leaving his previous post with the same title at Alpine earlier in 2023. Harman resigned from Alpine at the beginning of the 2024 campaign, just as it was being revealed that the team’s A524 car was then among the slowest on the grid. He will now become Williams’s design director and start working for his new squad after the 2024 summer break. The other four top technical hires are former Ferrari head of performance analytics, Fabrice Moncade, ex-Haas principal aerodynamicist Juan Molina, Red Bull’s chief designer (composites and structures), Steve Winstanley, and Alpine’s former head of performance, Richard Frith. Moncade will become Williams’s chief engineer, computing science, at the start of July, while Molina will be the team’s chief aerodynamicist from 15 July. Winstanley has been hired as chief engineer, composites and structures, with a brief to “transform the structures department within the design office”, per a team statement announcing all the new hires. Frith will become Williams’s head of performance systems but will not start working with the team until 2025. Williams has also hired ex-Hewlett Packard Enterprise employee, Sorin Cheran, to be its new chief information and analytics officer (CIAO). The Williams statement said Cheran is expected to “lead a transformation of how the team acquires, stores, indexes and uses data to build a best-in-class technology operation”. This follows the revelation from early 2024 that the team was using a gigantic Excel spreadsheet to plan its new car builds at the start of each year – a process that stunned team principal James Vowles and Fry. Vowles said of his team’s new hires: “I am delighted to welcome these six incredible people to Williams. “We are on a mission to fight our way back to the front and being able to attract experienced, championship-winning talent from other teams demonstrates huge belief in the journey we are on. “Williams is investing in what it takes to win, and this is just the start as we prepare to welcome more new faces from across the grid in the months ahead.” The major recruitment drive is the latest development in Williams owner Dorilton Capital’s bid to improve results at the squad that had badly waned following years of under investment before the Williams family sold the team in 2020. “Williams has bold ambitions and huge momentum, and these exceptional recruits show this is a project people want to be part of,” said Fry. “We are adding strength in depth to the enormous talent already at Grove as we build for the future.”
who knows , they are certainly attempting to turn it around , I hope they succeed. it will take time though . If Carlos was / is prepared to be patient with Sauber / Audi , he might consider Williams ?
Regardless of how much money Audi are pumping in, even if it's significant, it'll take a few years before the car reflects that. I think Albon/Sainz at Williams would likely be comfortably clear of Audi next season.
I don’t think the consideration for Sainz is particularly about next year. He’s already a race winner, so he’s got to be thinking in terms of which option brings him back to the front of the grid. It’s good that Williams are growing, but none of those appointments make you go “wow”, the only one I look at and think it’s probably quite a coup is Winstanley. Sainz has to - I think - try and work out where the ceiling for each of these teams is, during his career i.e. the next 10 years. Ferarri, Merc, RedBull all don’t want him right now, it’s hard to see his stock ever being higher unless he’s at a team that develops into a winner, so he’s unlikely therefore to ever make it back to those teams as a Number 1/1.5, unless they become uncompetitive. He’s obviously doing his due diligence and which one he picks probably will tell us a lot about who’s building best for the future.
Sainz to Williams. That's a much better option than Sargeant and gives them a quality lineup next season.
First time in about a decade that Williams will have two good drivers at the same time. Bit of a nasty come down to earth for Sainz though, the car might even be worse than his old Toro Rosso's
It could end up being worse , but IF they can reduce weight , it’s not a bad car at all . Also he’s stepping into a team that’s trying to modernise in loads of different areas . Of course it will take time . Does Vowles have the skills to see it through to ultimate success ? Yes I think he does . Does Vowles have the complete backing of the Owners ? I think so , I’ve not seen anything to make me doubt it , although we all know that can change suddenly . Does Carlos really have the will to try and see this through ? If over the next 2 years nothing happens as in Max Retiring ( I’m calling it now , he will go at the end of 2027 if not sooner ) Or Lewis retires etc , then yes I can see him staying . He will be off though if a “ Bigger “ opportunity arises . Williams said a couple of years ago they no longer had to have a pay driver . They must have offered Sainz a good package .
I really hope Williams can perform a miracle next year, nothing would be more kudos than beating Leclerc and Hamilton in a Williams.
Haas had picked their two drivers,Merc & RBR didn`t seem to want him. Then there was Alpine or Audi as options,but Carlos chose Williams,which I think was a wise move. No brainer really.
From what I’ve heard / seen on sky etc . It seems that Merc were waiting too long to make their minds up . Red Bull didn’t want him , well Max didn’t want him . Also just saw a sky podcast with Craig Slater and Bernie Collins . Slater was saying Williams have been able to offer Sainz similar money to the Sauber / Audi deal .
Williams have parted ways with Logan Sargeant, promoting from within as Franco Colapinto steps into Formula 1 for the first time. Coming into F1 mid-season will be an enormous learning curve. He will make his Formula 1 debut at Monza this weekend,I hope he goes well. James has finally bit the bullet with Sargeant,.
Beat me to it Just in case anyone wants to read what is on Williams OS Williams Racing announces that Franco Colapinto will race with the team for the remainder of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season Williams Racing announces that Franco Colapinto will race with the team for the remainder of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season and will compete from the Italian Grand Prix alongside Alex Albon. He will use the race number #43. Franco is a member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy and made his FP1 debut in this year's FW46 at the British Grand Prix. His F2 campaign this year has seen him secure a race win in Imola and podiums in the Barcelona and Austria Feature races, as well as seven further points-scoring outings. The 21-year-old will become the 49th Grand Prix driver for Williams Racing* is the first Argentine driver in F1 for 23 years and the second Argentine to drive for the British outfit, following his countryman Carlos Reutemann. The team would like to take the opportunity to thank Logan Sargeant for his hard work and contribution over the past two seasons. He has competed in 36 Grands Prix and, at the US GP last year, became the first American driver to score an F1 point since Michael Andretti 30 years prior. Logan will remain in the Williams family and we will support him to continue his racing career. Franco Colapinto . "It is an honour to be making my Formula 1 debut with Williams - this is what dreams are made of. "The team has such amazing history and a mission to get back to the front which I can't wait to be part of. "Coming into F1 mid-season will be an enormous learning curve but I am up for the challenge, and I'm fully focused on working as hard as I can with Alex and the team to make it a success." James Vowles, Team Principal: "To replace a driver mid-season is not a decision we have taken lightly, but we believe this gives Williams the best chance to compete for points over the remainder of the season. "We have just brought a large upgrade to the car and need to maximise every points-scoring opportunity in a remarkably tight midfield battle. "We also believe in investing in our young drivers in the Williams Racing Driver Academy, and Franco is getting a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate what he is capable of across the final nine rounds of the season. "This is undoubtedly incredibly tough on Logan, who has given his all throughout his time with Williams, and we want to thank him for all his hard work and positive attitude. "Logan remains a talented driver and we will support him to continue his racing career for the future. I know that Franco has great speed and huge potential, and we look forward to seeing what he can do in Formula 1." *based on points -scoring F1 race competitors since the formation of Williams in 1977 as an F1 Constructor.
Strange one. It made sense to me when they were talking about Lawson or Schumacher. A rookie (especially one who hasn't set the junior formula alight) probably won't be any better than Sargeant short term. Then by the time he's had a chance to get up to speed he's doomed to be shuffled out for Sainz anyway.
