Current Williams

[FB]

Oh dear, my football team went through ownership by various oligarchs and ended up nearly out of the football league. Williams don't have that far to drop.

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/formula-1/williams/news/russian-billionaire-eyes-williams-buyout_356563.html

 

[Ruslan]

It would be a sad end to one the greatest teams in F1.

 

[cider_and_toast]

And that's going to have the same effect on the team as the day the Chapman family sold their shares in Lotus (1989) within 5 years they were gone.

 

[Il_leone]

FB

It means his son will drive for the team

--------------

Frank would never sell out his team ... so I wonder how long Claire will hold out until the white flag is raised for this once great team

 

[FB]

Who else might want to take over though, other than some other rich bloke looking to buy a team for his son to driver for?

 

[220]

It would be a sad end to one the greatest teams in F1.

Sometimes it works, one of the most iconic teams in V8 supercars DJR who have been around since the 1970's were in a similar situation a few years back. Sold 51% to Penske and have gone from mid pack runners to championship winners and even more dominate this season.
I guess the big difference with what is now know as DJR/Penske is the buyer was bringing the might of their engineering and race experience to the table as well as cash.
It can work in F1, both redbull and mercedes are evolutions of previous teams if it does happen it would be nice if williams was still in the team name.

 

[Ruslan]

Sometimes it works, one of the most iconic teams in V8 supercars DJR who have been around since the 1970's were in a similar situation a few years back. Sold 51% to Penske and have gone from mid pack runners to championship winners and even more dominate this season.
I guess the big difference with what is now know as DJR/Penske is the buyer was bringing the might of their engineering and race experience to the table as well as cash.
It can work in F1, both redbull and mercedes are evolutions of previous teams if it does happen it would be nice if williams was still in the team name.

Yea, I see a Russian billionaire with a son who is a race car driver. There are several reasons to be concerned. This is not Roger Penske.

 

[Il_leone]

Apparently Porsche were interested in buying Williams and renaming it Porsche

 

[Ruslan]

Apparently Porsche were interested in buying Williams and renaming it Porsche

Well, the Russian rumor is now claimed to not be true...so we shall if the Porsche rumor is.

 

[RasputinLives]

I think Porsche are very much invested in getting their Formula E team up and running. Williams do make Formula E tech however.

 

[Il_leone]

I think Williams will just soldier on until bankruptcy unless they get a manufacturer support. The new rules for 2021 might be the wildcard with Porsche interested in coming in but can Williams last long enough to be still competing ought to be the question now

 

[cider_and_toast]

Williams 1.5 and 2.1 seconds off 18th in Canada.

Poor Robert Kubica is clearly struggling. Only once so far has he managed to dip under 1 second behind the first non Williams spot and and has only got close to Russell once, in Bahrain.

The team have appeared to make zero progress. Last year they qualified 18th and 19th with a 1.13.5 and a 1.13.6. This year we have a 1.13.6 and a 1.14.1

 

[Il_leone]

So Williams have got Patrick Head in place and yet they are still rooted to the back of the grid so is it all Paddy Lowe's fault then ?

Its strange feeling that Kubica is starting last at the place which probably will be his only grand prix win

 

[Izumi]

https://www.grandprix247.com/2019/06/25/lowe-i-will-not-return-to-work-at-williams/

This man is running out of options in terms of getting a job as manager, never-mind an executive.

 

[F1Brits_90]

yes i saw that he said "After a period of careful reflection I have reached the decision that I will not return to work at Williams” i dont to have ago at the guy but it does seem as if the success he been apart off is despite him not because of him. the success of podiums & poles was only because mercedes engine papering over some quite large aerodynamical holes. even massa wasnt a bit off towards saying that considering his track record. he expected far more than he actually got.

 

[Izumi]

McLaren, AMG Mercedes, Williams... I am not sure if he was asked to leave, or he has left on his own... for a Cambridge guy I was sort off expecting something else. Aren't Newey and Allison from the same ed. background?

 

[F1Brits_90]

the feeling i get id that nobody to blame him publicly but privately they feel he is root of all their problems. just from how Claire Williams & Felipe massa have tried to be tactful about him

 

[Il_leone]

I do not think Paddy Lowe is the source of all of Williams problems if they are exist already in Williams but have been magnified by his incompetence. Maybe Paddy works well in an environment where his role is clearly understood and defined like at Mercedes and MClaren backed probably by additional resources

At Williams maybe he has had to do a lot of things himself additionally. I still don't know if anyone has forgiven him for jumping with Toto to Mercedes back in 2014 when he was supposed to have an offer from Williams back then

 

[Il_leone]

https://www.planetf1.com/news/kubica-sponsors-deny-talk-of-early-williams-exit/?utm_source=vuukle&utm_medium=talk_of_town

 

[gethinceri]

"have denied neither they or the Polish driver are preparing for early exits at Williams."
Unintelligible gobbledygook.