Of course, many this year are watching the results of Williams in the “Formula 1 ″, because there is a Russian rider Sergei Sirotkin. From this article you can learn about the history of the Williams team in F1, about its leader Williams, as well as about stable pilots and goals for 2019.
This is the oldest private racing team of the existing ones. Williams in F1 did not appear by chance. Its leader has long walked towards success in the world of motorsport. His diligence and perseverance were rewarded with many victories in the Cup of designers (in one of the most prestigious tests of “Formula 1”). His team was visited by many legendary pilots, if not the best. But first things first.
Frank Williams Choice
Francis Williams was born in 1942 in the UK. He was the son of an officer in the Royal Air Force, but did not follow in the footsteps of his father. The boy was attracted by land transport, namely, cars. For a while, Frank himself was a pilot and a mechanic, and soon he was completely absorbed in the idea of creating his own car for Formula 1. And he succeeded. Despite various financial problems, in 1977, Frank, together with engineer Patrick Head, founded the Williams Grand Prix Engineering team.
First successes
The first victory was won by the Swiss pilot Giuseppe Regazzoni in 1979. The following year, Williams won the first Designer Cup thanks to five victories of the Australian Alan Jones in the individual competition.
Since 1982, the team has been played by such famous racers as Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve. All of them won the title in the individual competition. In total, the Williams team boasts nine victories in the Cup of designers. This is the second result after Ferrari among all the participating teams of Formula 1.
1994 was a difficult year for motorsports enthusiasts. Ayrton Senna, a four-time champion who had just transitioned from McLaren to Williams, crashes into a concrete wall at the Imola Grand Prix of San Marino at a speed of 217 km / h at the entrance to the turn. A few hours later, the death of the rider was recorded.
Recent History: 2000s
Due to the growth of budgets of many teams, private, such as Williams, it was not easy to maintain a leading position. During 2000-2003 “Williams” twice finished second and third in the overall standings. Then came a long decline in the results of the team. And only in 2014-2015, thanks to the efforts of the Brazilian Felipe Massa and the Finn Vallteri Bottas, it was possible to restore the former glory to the stables. The team became the third in the Cup of designers for two years in a row. And at the Austrian Grand Prix (2014), Massa even won the pole, the last at the moment in the history of the team.
What awaits the team in the future?
Williams in F1 is currently played by Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin. The team, to put it mildly, does not shine with results - only 7 points and last 10 place in the Cup of designers. The best finish this year - 8th place at the Grand Prix of Azerbaijan.
Although Williams is still the head of the team, due to health problems he cannot attend all races. Claire Williams, his daughter and deputy, promises that next year Williams in F1 will succeed.
One of the two pilots for the next year is already known. They became George Russell, a pupil of Mercedes. Whether the contract with the Russian racer Sergey Sirotkin will be signed is still unknown. In any case, I still want to watch the successes of the legendary Williams team in Formula 1.