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Williams Racing facts for kids

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Not to be confused with former Formula One team Frank Williams Racing Cars, formed by Frank Williams in 1967.
Quick facts for kids
United Kingdom Williams-Mercedes
Atlassian Williams Racing 2025.svg
Full name Atlassian Williams Racing
Base Grove, Oxfordshire, England
Team principal(s) James Vowles
Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry
Founder(s) Frank Williams
Patrick Head
Formula One World Championship career
First entry As a team
1977 Spanish Grand Prix
As a constructor
1978 Argentine Grand Prix
Last entry 2019 Monaco Grand Prix
Races entered As a team: 748 entries (744 starts)
As a constructor: 737 entries (736 starts)
Engines Ford, Honda, Judd, Renault, Mecachrome, Supertec, BMW, Cosworth, Toyota, Mercedes
Constructors'
Championships		 9 (1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997)
Drivers'
Championships		 7 (1980, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997)
Race victories 114
Podiums 312
Points 3555 (3561)
Pole positions 128
Fastest laps 133
2024 position 9th (17 pts)

Williams Racing, also known as Atlassian Williams Racing, is a famous British Formula One team. It was started by Frank Williams and Patrick Head in 1977. The team is based in Grove, Oxfordshire, England.

Williams Racing first competed in the 1977 Spanish Grand Prix. They started making their own cars in 1978. Clay Regazzoni won their first race at the 1979 British Grand Prix. By the 1997 British Grand Prix, Williams had won 100 races. This made them one of only five F1 teams to reach this milestone. Williams won nine Constructors' Championships between 1980 and 1997.

Many great drivers raced for Williams. These include Alan Jones, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, and Jacques Villeneuve. Seven drivers won the Drivers' title with the team. Williams has worked with many engine makers, especially Renault. They won five of their nine Constructors' titles with Renault engines.

Williams also has other businesses. These include Williams Advanced Engineering and Williams Hybrid Power. These companies use technology from Formula One for other uses. In 2020, Dorilton Capital bought Williams. Frank and Claire Williams stepped down from leading the team on September 6, 2020.

How Williams Racing Started

FrankWilliams-cropped
Frank Williams, who started Williams Racing

Frank Williams started Williams in 1977. His earlier team, Frank Williams Racing Cars, was not very successful. Even with a new owner and a new name, Wolf–Williams Racing, the cars were not competitive in 1976. So, Williams left and moved to Didcot, Oxfordshire. He rebuilt his team as Williams Grand Prix Engineering. Frank asked Patrick Head to join him, forming the Williams–Head partnership.

Racing in Formula One

Early Years with Ford-Cosworth Engines (1977–1983)

1977 Season

Williams used a March 761 car in 1977. Their only driver, Patrick Nève, raced in 11 events. The team did not score any points, with their best finish being 7th.

1978 Season

Williams FW06
The 1978 Williams FW06 car

For 1978, Patrick Head designed the first Williams car, the FW06. Williams signed Alan Jones as their driver. Jones scored the team's first points and their first podium finish. Williams ended the season in ninth place in the Constructors' Championship.

1979 Season

Head designed the FW07 car for 1979. This was the team's first "ground effect" car, which helps cars stick to the track. Clay Regazzoni joined Jones as a second driver. The team got their first win at their home race, the British Grand Prix Grand Prix. Jones then won three more races in a row. Williams greatly improved, finishing second in the Constructors' Championship.

1980 Season

Carlos Reutemann joined Williams in 1980. Jones won the first race in Argentina. He won four more races that year. Jones became the first of seven Williams drivers to win the Drivers' Championship. Williams also won its first Constructors' Championship, scoring almost twice as many points as the second-placed team.

1981 Season

Williams won four races in 1981. Alan Jones won the first and last races of the season. Carlos Reutemann won two other races. Williams won the Constructors' title for the second year in a row.

1982 Season

Williams F1 Main Article
Keke Rosberg's FW08 car from 1982

Alan Jones left Formula One this season. Keke Rosberg, whose son Nico would later become a world champion, replaced him. Rosberg won the Drivers' title that year, even though he only won one race. Williams finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship.

Honda Engines (1983–1987)

1983 Season

Frank Williams made a deal with Honda to use their powerful turbocharged V6 engines from 1984. For 1983, Williams still used Ford engines, except for the last race. The team finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship. Rosberg won the Monaco Grand Prix Grand Prix.

1984 Season

The team used the new FW09 car with Honda engines in 1984. Keke Rosberg won the Dallas Grand Prix. The team finished sixth in the Constructors' Championship.

1985 Season

Mansell - Williams 1985
Nigel Mansell's Williams FW10 car from 1985

In 1985, Patrick Head designed the FW10, the team's first car made with carbon-fibre. Nigel Mansell joined Rosberg. The team won four races. Rosberg won two, and Mansell won two. Williams finished third in the Constructors' Championship.

1986 Season

In March 1986, Frank Williams had a serious car accident that left him unable to move his legs. Despite this, the Williams team won nine races and the Constructors' Championship. Nigel Mansell almost won the Drivers' Championship, but a tyre problem in the last race stopped him.

1987 Season

Williams FW11B Honda
Nelson Piquet's championship-winning FW11B from 1987

The 1987 season saw the Williams-Honda team win their only Drivers' Championship with Nelson Piquet. Piquet won three races. His teammate, Mansell, won six races. Williams won the Constructors' Championship for the second year in a row. After this success, Honda ended their partnership with Williams.

Judd Engines (1988)

1988 Season

Williams used Judd engines in 1988. These engines were not as powerful as the turbo engines used by other teams. Piquet left, and Riccardo Patrese joined. The team did not win any races and finished seventh in the Constructors' Championship.

Renault Engines (1989–1997)

Williams started using Renault engines in 1989. These engines, combined with Adrian Newey's car designs, helped the team dominate Formula One in the mid-1990s.

1989 Season

The Renault era began in 1989 with Riccardo Patrese and Thierry Boutsen as drivers. Their first race with Renault engines was tough. However, they soon found success. Williams scored their first win and first one-two finish with Renault at the Canadian Grand Prix. Williams finished second in the Constructors' Championship.

1990 Season

Williams kept Patrese and Boutsen in 1990. The team scored fewer points than the year before and finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship.

1991 Season

Mansell and Senna at Silverstone cropped
1991 British Grand Prix winner Nigel Mansell giving Ayrton Senna a lift

Nigel Mansell returned to Williams in 1991. Damon Hill joined as a reserve driver. Williams had some tough races early on. However, they then went on a winning streak. Mansell won four races in a row. Williams finished second in the Constructors' Championship.

1992 Season

Williams FW14B
Nigel Mansell's Williams FW14B from 1992

Williams had a fantastic 1992 season. Mansell dominated the first five races, winning all of them. He set a new record for most wins at the start of a season. Williams won the Constructors' Championship easily. Mansell became World Champion, setting a record for most wins in a single year.

1993 Season

Williams FW15C front-right Donington Grand Prix Collection
Damon Hill's Williams FW15C car from 1993

The Williams FW15C car in 1993 was very powerful. It had advanced features like active suspension. Alain Prost joined Williams and won his first race with the team. Damon Hill also became very competitive, winning three races in a row. Williams won the Constructors' title again. Prost won the Drivers' Championship.

1994 Season

Williams FW16
Williams FW16B car from the 1994 season

Williams signed Ayrton Senna for 1994. The team's new car, the FW16, was fast but tricky to drive. This was because new rules banned electronic driver aids. Senna tragically died in a crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. His death deeply affected the team and the sport. After Senna's death, Williams cars carried a special 's' symbol in his honor.

Damon Hill became the lead driver. David Coulthard and later Nigel Mansell joined as his teammates. Hill won the team's first victory of the season in Spain. Williams won the Constructors' Championship for the third year in a row.

1995 Season

Damon Hill 1995-2
Damon Hill in the FW17 at Montreal in 1995

In 1995, David Coulthard partnered Hill. Michael Schumacher's Benetton team, now also using Renault engines, became very strong. Hill won several races, including a dominant victory in Australia. However, Benetton ended Williams's winning streak in the Constructors' Championship.

1996 Season

Jacques Villeneuve 1996
Jacques Villeneuve in the FW18 at the 1996 Canadian Grand Prix

Williams had a very fast and reliable car, the FW18, in 1996. Jacques Villeneuve joined the team. Williams won the first five races. Hill and Villeneuve dominated the season. Hill won the 1996 Drivers' title. Williams also won the Constructors' Championship.

1997 Season

For 1997, Heinz-Harald Frentzen joined Williams. Jacques Villeneuve won seven races and became the Drivers' Champion. Williams also reached 100 race wins at the British Grand Prix. Williams won the Constructors' title for the second year in a row.

Mecachrome Engines (1998)

1998 Season

After 1997, Williams lost their dominance. Renault stopped their full involvement, and Adrian Newey moved to McLaren. Williams used Mecachrome engines, which were older Renault engines. The team did not win any races and finished third in the Constructors' Championship.

Supertec Engines (1999)

1999 Season

In 1999, Williams used Supertec engines and had new drivers: Ralf Schumacher and Alex Zanardi. Ralf Schumacher scored all three of the team's podium finishes. Zanardi struggled and did not score any points. The team finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship.

BMW Engines (2000–2005)

BMW Williams logo
Team logo during partnership with BMW

Williams signed a deal with BMW in 1998 for engines from 2000. BMW wanted at least one German driver, which led to Ralf Schumacher joining.

2000 Season

Jenson Button made his debut for Williams in 2000. The team did not win any races but got on the podium three times with Ralf Schumacher. Williams finished third in the Constructors' Championship.

2001 Season

Ralf Schumacher 2001 Canada
Williams returned to winning races in 2001

Juan Pablo Montoya joined Williams in 2001. The FW23 car won four races. Ralf Schumacher won three, and Montoya won one. Williams finished third in the Constructors' Championship.

2002 Season

Williams kept the same drivers for 2002. The team won only one race, in Malaysia. Ferrari dominated this year. Williams improved to second in the Constructors' Championship.

2003 Season

Ralf Schumacher Indianapolis 2003
Schumacher in the FW25 at the 2003 United States Grand Prix

2003 was a strong year for Williams. They won four races. Montoya won two, and Ralf Schumacher won two. Montoya was a contender for the Drivers' Championship. Williams finished second in the Constructors' Championship.

2004 Season

J p montoya usgp 2004
Juan Pablo Montoya in the "Walrus-Nose" designed Williams FW26

Montoya announced he would move to McLaren in 2005. Williams started 2004 with a strange "Walrus-Nose" design, which was later changed. Williams won the final race in Brazil with Montoya. The team finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship.

2005 Season

Heidfeld (Williams) in practice at USGP 2005
Nick Heidfeld in the FW27 during practice for the 2005 United States GP

Mark Webber and Nick Heidfeld joined Williams for 2005. The team had some good moments, like a double podium in Monaco. However, Williams did not win a race this season and finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship. BMW and Williams had disagreements, which led to BMW buying the Sauber team.

Cosworth Engines (2006)

2006 Season

Nico Rosberg Canada 2006
Nico Rosberg in the FW28-Cosworth at the 2006 Canadian Grand Prix

Williams used Cosworth V8 engines in 2006. Nico Rosberg joined the team. The season started well, but the team had many retirements. Williams did not get any podium finishes and finished eighth in the Constructors' Championship.

Toyota Engines (2007–2009)

2007–2009 Seasons

Alex Wurz 2007 (crop)
Alexander Wurz at the 2007 Malaysian Grand Prix
Kazuki Nakajima 2008 Canada
Kazuki Nakajima at the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix
Nico Rosberg 2009 Turkey
Nico Rosberg at the 2009 Turkish Grand Prix

Williams started using Toyota engines in 2007. Alexander Wurz became the second driver. Rosberg and Wurz had a better season, with Wurz scoring a podium finish in Canada. Williams finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship.

For 2008, Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima were the drivers. Rosberg achieved two podiums. Williams finished eighth in the Constructors' Championship. Williams continued with Rosberg and Nakajima for 2009. Williams ended their partnership with Toyota at the end of 2009.

Return to Cosworth Engines (2010–2011)

2010–2011 Seasons

Nico Hulkenberg 2010 Malaysia 2nd Free Practice
Nico Hülkenberg at the 2010 Malaysian Grand Prix

Williams returned to Cosworth engines for 2010. Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hülkenberg were the new drivers. Hülkenberg took the team's first pole position in over five years in Brazil. Williams finished sixth in the Constructors' Championship.

For 2011, Pastor Maldonado replaced Hülkenberg. Williams had one of their toughest seasons, scoring very few points. They finished ninth in the Constructors' Championship.

Return to Renault Engines (2012–2013)

2012–2013 Seasons

Valtteri Bottas 2012 Malaysia FP1 2
Valtteri Bottas, the team's 2012 reserve driver

Williams reunited with Renault engines from 2012. Maldonado stayed, and Bruno Senna joined him. At the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, Pastor Maldonado won his only Grand Prix. This was Williams's first win since 2004. After the win, a fire broke out in the Williams garage. The team finished eighth in the Constructors' Championship.

Claire Williams, Frank Williams's daughter, became deputy principal in 2013. Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas were the drivers. The team struggled a lot in 2013, scoring only five points.

Mercedes Power Units (2014–Present)

Williams Martini Racing logo
The Williams Martini Racing logo (2014–2018)
Felipe Massa 2014 China Race
Felipe Massa at the 2014 Chinese Grand Prix

Williams signed a long-term deal with Mercedes for engines from 2014. Bottas stayed, and Felipe Massa joined from Ferrari. The team also got a new main sponsor, Martini.

2014–2017 Seasons

Valtteri Bottas 070615
Valtteri Bottas at the 2015 Canadian Grand Prix
Lance Stroll 2017 Malaysia FP1
Lance Stroll at the 2017 Malaysian Grand Prix

Williams had a big improvement in 2014. Massa took pole position in Austria, the only time Mercedes was beaten to pole that year. The team finished third in the Constructors' Championship. They repeated this in 2015.

Valtteri Bottas 2016 Malaysia FP2
Valtteri Bottas at the 2016 Malaysian Grand Prix

Bottas and Massa continued in 2016. Lance Stroll joined as a development driver. In September 2016, Massa announced his retirement. Stroll replaced him for 2017. Bottas moved to Mercedes, and Massa returned to Williams for one more year.

2018–2019: Difficult Times

2018 Chinese Grand Prix Qualifying Sergey Sirotkin (40812182175)
Sergey Sirotkin driving the Williams FW41 at the 2018 Chinese Grand Prix

Sergey Sirotkin replaced Massa for 2018. Williams struggled a lot, scoring only 7 points and finishing last in the Constructors' Championship. Their car was not fast enough.

FIA F1 Austria 2019 Nr. 63 Russell 2
George Russell at the 2019 Austrian Grand Prix

In 2018, Martini announced they would leave Williams. For 2019, George Russell and Robert Kubica became the drivers. Williams missed part of pre-season testing because their car was not ready. The team struggled throughout the season, scoring only one point. Despite this, Williams extended their engine deal with Mercedes until 2025.

Kubica left the team at the end of 2019. Nicholas Latifi replaced him for 2020. In May 2020, Williams ended their main sponsorship deal due to financial issues.

2020–Present: New Ownership and Changes

George Russell Mugello 2020, race day
George Russell driving the Williams FW43 at the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix

In the opening race of 2020, Latifi finished just outside the points. Russell showed good speed in qualifying. In August 2020, Dorilton Capital, a US investment group, bought Williams. This meant that for the first time in 43 years, the Williams family was no longer leading the team. Claire Williams stepped down after the 2020 Italian Grand Prix. Williams did not score any points in the 2020 season.

FIA F1 Austria 2021 Nr. 6 Latifi
Nicholas Latifi driving Williams FW43B at the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix

In 2021, Williams celebrated their 750th Grand Prix start. At the 2021 Hungarian Grand Prix, Williams scored their first points since 2019. At the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, Russell qualified second and achieved Williams's first podium since 2017. Williams finished eighth in the Constructors' Championship.

2022 Williams FW44 Formula 1 Car. Driven by Alex Albon and Nicholas Latifi (52339096754)
The Williams FW44 at 'The Silverstone Classic'.

For the 2022 season, Russell joined Mercedes. Former Red Bull driver, Alex Albon, replaced him. Latifi stayed with the team. Albon scored points in Australia and Miami. Latifi made it to the final qualifying session at the British Grand Prix. At the Italian Grand Prix, Albon became ill, and Nyck de Vries replaced him. De Vries scored points on his debut.

Before the 2023 season, James Vowles, a former Mercedes strategist, became the new Team Principal.

For 2023, Williams partnered with Gulf Oil. Albon's contract was extended, and rookie Logan Sargeant joined him. Sargeant was the first American driver in Formula One since 2015. Albon scored a point in the first race. Albon and Sargeant continued for the 2024 season. Sargeant was released after the 2024 Dutch Grand Prix due to his performance. Franco Colapinto replaced him from the 2024 Italian Grand Prix until the end of the season.

In February 2025, Williams announced a new title sponsorship with Atlassian. They are now known as Atlassian Williams Racing for the 2025 season.

Williams Group

Williams Grand Prix Holdings is the company that owns Williams Racing. It also includes other parts like Williams Heritage and Williams Grand Prix Technologies. It used to own Williams Hybrid Power and Williams Advanced Engineering, which used F1 technology for other uses. Williams Hybrid Power was sold in 2014, and Williams Advanced Engineering was sold in 2022.

Dorilton Capital bought Williams Grand Prix Holdings in August 2020. The Williams family no longer leads the team. The sale happened after the team faced financial difficulties for several years.

Williams Heritage

Williams Conference Centre geograph-2998907-by-Philip-Jeffrey
Williams Conference Centre in Grove

Williams Heritage keeps and maintains old Williams Formula One cars that are no longer racing. They restore and look after the entire Williams car collection. This division helps keep the team's history alive.

Williams Grand Prix Technologies

Williams Grand Prix Technologies (WGPT) started in April 2024. This company uses the smart ideas and technology from F1 to help other businesses with their engineering problems. They offer services like advanced materials and simulation to many different industries.

Williams Driver Academy

Like many F1 teams, Williams has a driver academy. This academy helps young drivers develop their skills. As of 2025, the academy includes Jamie Chadwick and Luke Browning. Some former academy drivers, like Franco Colapinto and Lance Stroll, have gone on to race in Formula One.

Williams Experience Centre

The Williams Experience Centre is located at the team's home in Grove, Oxfordshire. It was originally a building for BMW's Le Mans project and was changed into a center for Williams in 2002.

Other Motorsports Activities

Formula Two

Williams developed the car for the Formula Two championship, which started in 2009.

Group B Rallying (1985–1986)

The MG Metro 6R4 rally car Williams helped develop the MG Metro 6R4 rally car in 1984. This car was designed for Group B rallying, with a special V6 engine and four-wheel drive.

British Touring Car Championship (1995–1999)

The Williams-engineered Renault Laguna BTCC car Williams entered the British Touring Car Championship in 1995, working with Renault. They won the manufacturers' championship in 1995. In 1997, Williams had a great year, winning the drivers' championship with Alain Menu, and also the manufacturers' and teams' awards. They won 15 out of 24 races that year. Renault left the BTCC at the end of 1999.

Le Mans 24 Hours and Sportscars (1998–2000)

Williams Motorsport built special cars for BMW for the 24 Hours of Le Mans race. One of these cars, the V12 LMR, won the 1999 Le Mans 24 Hours.

Formula E

Williams's Advanced Engineering division worked with Jaguar Racing in their first Formula E season. Williams also supplies the battery system for the Gen 3 Formula E cars.

Automobile Activities

Jaguar C-X75

Jaguar C-X75 Williams Advanced Engineering helped create the Jaguar C-X75, a hybrid supercar. A limited number of these cars were planned for production.

Renault Clio Williams

The Renault Clio Williams The Williams name and logo were used on the Renault Clio Williams, a special sports car. This car was even a safety car in Formula One in 1996. However, Williams did not actually help design this car.

Porsche 911 GT3R Hybrid

Williams Hybrid Power developed a special energy storage system for a Porsche 911 GT3 R hybrid car. This system helps the car save fuel. The car won its first race in 2011.

Race Cars

Williams has built their own Formula One cars since 1978. All their cars are named after the founder, Frank Williams, with "FW" standing for Frank Williams.

Formula One Results

  • Constructors' Championships won: 9
  • Drivers' Championships won: 7
  • Winning percentage: 15.5%

Drivers' Champions

The following drivers won the Formula One Drivers' Championship for Williams:

Esports

Williams also has an Esports team that competes in virtual Formula One races.

Year Name Car Engine Tyres No. Drivers Points WCC
2018 United Kingdom Williams Esports FW41 Mercedes M09 EQ Power+ 1.6 V6 t P 93.
42.
96.		 Spain Álvaro Carretón
Finland Tino Naukkarinen
Germany Alex Hanses		 69 7th
2019 United Kingdom Williams Esports FW42 Mercedes M10 EQ Power+ 1.6 V6 t P 93.
42.
N.A.		 Spain Álvaro Carretón
Finland Tino Naukkarinen
United Kingdom Issac Price		 105 5th
2020 United Kingdom Williams Esports FW43 Mercedes M11 EQ Performance 1.6 V6 t P 21.
88.
53.		 Spain Álvaro Carretón
Turkey Salih Saltunç
Greece Michael Romanidis		 45 8th
2021 United Kingdom Williams Esports FW43B Mercedes M12 E Performance 1.6 V6 t P 21.
53.
23.		 Spain Álvaro Carretón
Greece Michael Romanidis
Italy Alessio di Capua		 46 8th
2022 United Kingdom Williams Esports FW44 Mercedes M13 E Performance 1.6 V6 t P 21.
92.
79.		 Spain Álvaro Carretón
Italy Daniele Haddad
United Kingdom Shanaka Clay		 8 10th
2023-24 United Kingdom Williams Esports FW45 Mercedes M14 E Performance 1.6 V6 t P 9.
73.
54.		 Spain Álvaro Carretón
United Kingdom Will Lewis
Spain Ismael Fahssi		 81 7th
2025 United Kingdom Atlassian Williams Sim Racing FW46 Mercedes M16 E Performance 1.6 V6 t P 9.
93.
54.		 Spain Álvaro Carretón
Spain Rubén Pedreño
Spain Ismael Fahssi		 153 4th
Source:

See also

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