Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe
Autosport Plus

The inside story of Williams's revival

Williams's transformation from backmarker to potential grand prix winner has been one of the feel-good stories in F1 this year. DIETER RENCKEN talked to the behind-the-scenes architects to find out how it happened

Last year in Korea, during a one-on-one chat, Pastor Maldonado was scathing about Williams, the multiple-title-winning outfit with which he won the previous season's Spanish Grand Prix.

It was clear their relationship was irreparably broken, the Venezuelan intent on taking his sizeable pile of state-provided petro-dollars elsewhere - to Lotus as it transpired, despite that team's well-documented financial struggles.

Meantime Williams placed ninth and last of the 2013 points scorers (with five points scored from 38 starts), and paddock folk wondered how much longer Sir Frank's eponymous outfit would be around. It seemed a sad ending for this proud team, but such as Brabham, Cooper and (the real) Lotus all slithered down the order before eventually fading away.

And yet there remained a bullishness at Williams, as though team members knew the corner would be turned. Indeed, during an interview with Claire Williams, the de facto team boss - officially she is deputy team principal, but accepts the whole load when her father is unable to travel - conducted in May last year there was quiet confidence to her answers. The message was clear: Williams will restructure; Williams will return to the sharp end.

Then news trickled through that Mike O'Driscoll, formerly Jaguar Cars managing director (and previously president of Jaguar Cars America) and a non-executive director of Williams, had accepted the post of group CEO. Highly respected not only for his commercial skills, but also his visionary management, it was obvious O'Driscoll recognised potential at Williams despite the performance trough the team wallowed in.

Previous article Jean-Eric Vergne sure he'll earn new F1 seat after Toro Rosso exit
Next article Eau Rouge will be great again

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe