F1: Williams Family to End Involvement from Williams Racing

In the aftermath of the Dorilton Capital buy out, Williams Racing will no longer be run by Frank and Claire Williams, who will be stepping down from their positions of Team Principal.

The move will see Claire and Frank part company with Williams Grand Prix Engineering after the 2020 Italian Grand Prix, this weekend (5-6th September). In a video posted on the teams social media, Claire thanked her colleagues after confirming she would be stepping aside.

“It is with a heavy heart that I am stepping away from my role with the team. I had hoped to continue my tenure long into the future and to preserve the Williams family’s legacy into the next generation.

“With the future of the team now secured, this feels like the appropriate time for us to step away from the sport,” said Claire. “As a family, we have always prioritised Williams. We have demonstrated that by our recent actions with the Strategic Review process and we believe now is the right time to hand over the reins and give the new owners the opportunity to take the team into the future.

“We have been in this sport for more than four decades. We are incredibly proud of our track record and the legacy we leave behind. We have always been in it for the love of it, for the pure pleasure of going motor racing, so this is not a decision that we have taken lightly but after much reflection and as a family.”

Claire thanked her father for the work he has put into the team, as well as the legacy that he will leave behind. Continuing her speech, she also thanked all the members of the team that had been beside her during her tenure.

“We are greatly appreciative of Dorilton’s encouragement to continue, but in them we know the team will be in good hands and the Williams name will live on. This may be the end of an era for Williams as a family-run team, but it is the beginning of a new era for Williams Racing and we wish them much success in the future.“

Dorilton are expected to keep the ‘Williams Racing’ name, though have yet to reveal details about the enterprises long-term plans.

Matthew Savage, Chairman of Dorilton Capital and now Williams Grand Prix Engineering, added:

“We fully respect the very tough decision of Claire and the Williams family to step away from the team and the business after securing new resources for its future.

“She has also been hugely instrumental in shaping a more level technical and financial playing field for F1, which will help to ensure the team’s return to the front of the grid in seasons to come. We are proud to carry the Williams name into the next exciting phase for the sport and we thank Sir Frank, Claire and the Williams family for the opportunity to be part of this great British brand.”

Williams have so far failed to score this season, which if they fail to turn around, will be the worst result in the teams history, having failed to collect any silverware since Lance Stroll’s podium in 2017 at Azerbaijan.