With these ingredients, Williams can reach the same level as Aston Martin
F1 News
Williams is no longer Williams, many fans will say after the team was sold last year by the famous racing family. The historical link is now there mainly in name, but with Dorilton Capital at the helm there is some light on the horizon. The first steps for a happy ending have already been taken.
The first step in the right direction already taken by new owner Dorilton Capitol last year is the proper filling of the vacant managerial positions. With all due respect to Claire Williams, the team has been on a continuous downward spiral in her hands.
To what extent you can personally blame her for this or whether it was simply a result of the financial realities of the sport is open to debate, but what is certain is that she had no prior experience as a race team executive prior to this position.
Two iron eaters as executives
Neither has her successor, but Simon Roberts has held several senior positions in the technical field at both McLaren and Force India. Moreover, he does not bear the responsibility alone, because he is assisted by Jost Capito, who as CEO is the real person with final responsibility.
He too has a technical background, but achieved his greatest successes as a manager. Especially in the WRC, he created a furore with Ford and later Volkswagen. The Volkswagen Polo that was developed under his leadership is the most successful rally car of all time in terms of percentage of victories.
Further cooperation with Mercedes
So Williams has brought in two managerial heavyweights and they made a wise decision almost immediately. Indeed, at the beginning of February, the team announced that it was strengthening its ties with Mercedes and taking more parts directly from the manufacturer from 2022 onwards.
The Williams family was always very proud of the fact that they produced all the parts themselves. That earned a lot of points with the fans, but not in the championship. It is unfortunate to have to conclude that many teams cannot be competitive on their own, but this is the right decision if Williams wants to be back at the front in the relatively short term. Racing Point is the great example here and given the above ingredients there is really no reason why Williams cannot perform the same in the foreseeable future.
Written by Pelle Gerritsen