Williams Racing facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Williams-Mercedes

Full name	Williams Racing
Base	Grove, Oxfordshire, England, UK
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
2023 position	7th (28 pts)

Williams Racing, also known as Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, is a famous British Formula One team. It was started by Frank Williams (1942–2021) and Patrick Head. The team began in 1977. It is based in Grove, Oxfordshire, England, on a large 60-acre site.

Williams Racing's first race was the 1977 Spanish Grand Prix. They started making their own cars the next year. Clay Regazzoni won Williams's first race at the 1979 British Grand Prix. At the 1997 British Grand Prix, Jacques Villeneuve earned the team's 100th win. This made Williams one of only five Formula One teams to reach 100 wins. Williams won nine Constructors' Championships between 1980 and 1997. This was a record until Ferrari won their tenth championship in 2000.

Many great drivers have raced for Williams. These include Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet, and Jacques Villeneuve. These seven drivers all won the Drivers' title with the team. Williams has worked with many engine makers. Their most successful partnership was with Renault. They won five of their nine Constructors' titles with Renault.

Williams also uses its racing technology for other things. They created Williams Advanced Engineering and Williams Hybrid Power. These companies take technology from Formula One and use it for other products. In 2020, Dorilton Capital bought Williams Racing. Frank Williams and his daughter Claire Williams stepped down from leading the team on September 6, 2020.

How Williams Racing Started

Frank Williams started Williams Racing in 1977. His earlier Formula One 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. So, Frank Williams left and started his new team, Williams Grand Prix Engineering. He hired Patrick Head to help him, forming the Williams–Head partnership.

Williams in Formula One: A History

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

1977 Season: First Steps

Williams entered the 1977 season with a March 761 car. Their only driver, Patrick Nève, raced in 11 events. The new team did not score any points. Their best finish was 7th place at the Italian Grand Prix race.

1978 Season: Building Their Own Car

For 1978, Patrick Head designed Williams's first car, the FW06. Williams signed Alan Jones as their driver. Jones scored the team's first points at the South African Grand Prix race, finishing fourth. Williams earned their first podium (a top-three finish) at the United States Grand Prix race, with Jones finishing second. The team ended the season in ninth place.

1979 Season: First Win and Ground Effect Cars

Head designed the FW07 car for 1979. This was the team's first "ground effect" car. This technology helped cars stick to the track better. Williams also started racing two cars. Jones was joined by Clay Regazzoni. Regazzoni won Williams's first race at their home Grand Prix, the British Grand Prix. Williams then had a fantastic run, with Jones winning three races in a row. Williams greatly improved, finishing second in the Constructors' Championship.

1980 Season: First Championships

Before the 1980 season, Carlos Reutemann joined the team. Williams started strong, with Jones winning the first race in Argentina. Jones won four more races that year. He 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: Another Championship Win

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

1982 Season: Rosberg's Title

Alan Jones retired from Formula One this season. Keke Rosberg, whose son Nico would also 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.

Powering Up with Honda Engines (1983–1987)

1983 Season: Looking to the Future

Frank Williams made a deal with Honda to use their new turbocharged V6 engines starting in 1984. For the end of the 1983 season, Williams used a Honda engine for the first time in South Africa. Rosberg finished an impressive fifth. The team finished fourth overall.

1984 Season: New Car, New Engine

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

1985 Season: Carbon Fibre and More Wins

Patrick Head designed the FW10 for 1985. This was Williams's first car to use carbon-fibre, a strong and light material. Nigel Mansell joined Rosberg. The team won four races. Rosberg won two, and Mansell won two. Williams finished third in the Constructors' Championship. Rosberg also set a new record for the fastest lap in Formula One history during qualifying.

1986 Season: A Challenging Year

In March 1986, Frank Williams had a serious car accident that left him unable to walk. Despite this, the Williams team won nine races and the Constructors' Championship. Nigel Mansell almost won the Drivers' Championship, but his tire burst in the final race.

1987 Season: Piquet's Championship

The 1987 season saw the Williams-Honda team win their first and 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. However, Honda ended their partnership with Williams at the end of the year.

Judd Engines (1988): A Tough Year

1988 Season: No Wins

Without a major engine partner, Williams used Judd engines for the 1988 season. These engines were not as powerful as their rivals' turbo engines. Piquet left the team. Williams did not win any races that season. They finished seventh in the Constructors' Championship.

Renault Engines (1989–1997): A Golden Era

Williams partnered with Renault for engines in 1989. Renault engines helped Williams drivers win four more Drivers' Championships and five Constructors' Championships. The team also brought in Adrian Newey, a brilliant car designer. The combination of Renault's powerful engines and Newey's designs made Williams a dominant force in the mid-1990s.

1989 Season: Back to Winning Ways

The Renault era began in 1989. Riccardo Patrese and Thierry Boutsen were the drivers. After a tough start, Patrese finished second in Mexico, giving the team their first podium with Renault. At the next race in Canada, Williams scored their first win and a one-two finish with the Renault engine. Boutsen won the race. Williams finished second in the Constructors' Championship.

1990 Season: A Step Back

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

1991 Season: Mansell Returns

Nigel Mansell returned to Williams for the 1991 season. Williams also hired Damon Hill as a reserve driver. After some early issues, Williams started winning races. Mansell won several races in a row, including the British Grand Prix. Williams finished second in the Constructors' Championship.

1992 Season: Mansell Dominates

Williams had an amazing 1992 season with Patrese and Mansell. Mansell won the first five races, setting a new record. He went on to win nine races in total, becoming World Champion. Williams won the Constructors' Championship by a large margin.

1993 Season: Prost Takes the Title

The Williams FW15C car was very dominant in 1993. It had advanced features like active suspension. Alain Prost joined Williams and won on his first race for the team. He won seven races and became the Drivers' Champion. Damon Hill also showed great skill, winning three races. Williams won the Constructors' title again.

1994 Season: Tragedy and Triumph

For 1994, Williams signed Ayrton Senna, a legendary driver. Damon Hill remained with the team. The FIA banned electronic driver aids like active suspension, which had been key to Williams's success. This made the new FW16 car harder to drive.

Tragically, Senna died in a crash at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. This was a very sad moment for Formula One. Williams continued to race with Hill and test driver David Coulthard. Hill won the team's first victory of the season in Spain. Nigel Mansell also returned for a few races. Hill fought for the championship until the final race. Williams won the Constructors' Championship for the third year in a row.

1995 Season: Benetton Takes the Lead

In 1995, David Coulthard partnered Hill. Williams's winning streak was ended by Benetton, who also used Renault engines. Benetton won the Constructors' Championship. Damon Hill finished second in the Drivers' Championship.

1996 Season: Hill's Championship Year

The FW18 car was very fast and reliable in 1996. Jacques Villeneuve joined Williams, partnering Hill. Williams won the first five races. Hill won the Drivers' Championship, and Williams won the Constructors' Championship again. After this season, Damon Hill left the team.

1997 Season: Villeneuve's Title and 100 Wins

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

Mecachrome and Supertec Engines (1998–1999): A Dip in Performance

1998 Season: Losing Dominance

After 1997, Williams lost their dominance. Renault stopped their full involvement, and designer 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.

1999 Season: New Drivers, Still a Challenge

In 1999, Williams used Supertec engines. They also had a new driver lineup: 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): A New Partnership

In 1998, Williams signed a long-term deal with BMW to supply engines. BMW wanted at least one German driver, which led to Ralf Schumacher joining.

2000 Season: No Wins, But Podiums

The first season with BMW engines did not bring any wins. However, Ralf Schumacher achieved three podium finishes. Williams finished third in the Constructors' Championship. Jenson Button made his debut for the team and showed promise.

2001 Season: Back to Winning Races

In 2001, Juan Pablo Montoya joined Williams. He had been very successful in the CART series. The FW23 car won four races. Ralf Schumacher won three, and Montoya won one. Williams finished third in the Constructors' Championship.

2002 Season: Second Place Overall

Williams kept the same drivers for 2002. The team won only one race, in Malaysia. This was one of only two races not won by Ferrari that year. Williams improved to second place in the Constructors' Championship. Montoya finished third in the Drivers' Championship.

2003 Season: Close to the Title

The 2003 season was Williams's closest to winning a title since 1997. The team won four races. Montoya won two, and Ralf Schumacher won two. Montoya was in the fight for the Drivers' Championship until the end, finishing third. Williams finished second in the Constructors' Championship.

2004 Season: Last Win for a While

Montoya announced he would leave Williams in 2005. The team started 2004 with a strange "Walrus-Nose" design, which was later changed. Ferrari dominated this season. Williams won the final race in Brazil with Juan Pablo Montoya. This was Williams's last F1 win until 2012. Williams finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship.

2005 Season: BMW Partnership Ends

Mark Webber and Nick Heidfeld joined Williams for 2005. Williams did not win a race this season, for the first time since 2000. They finished fifth in the Constructors' Championship. BMW and Williams had disagreements, and BMW decided to buy another team instead of continuing with Williams.

Cosworth Engines (2006): A Difficult Year

2006 Season: No Podiums

Williams used Cosworth V8 engines for 2006. Nico Rosberg joined the team, partnering Mark Webber. The season started well, but the rest of the year was disappointing. The team had many retirements and did not finish on the podium at all. This was the first time since 1977 that Williams had no podium finishes. They ended up eighth in the Constructors' Championship.

Toyota Engines (2007–2009): Finding Their Way

2007–2009 Seasons: Some Podiums, But Still Tough

Williams started using Toyota engines in 2007. Alexander Wurz joined Rosberg. Wurz scored the team's first podium since 2005 in Canada. Rosberg consistently scored points. Williams finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship.

For 2008, Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima were the drivers. Rosberg got two podiums, but the team struggled overall. They finished eighth. Williams kept the same drivers for 2009. Frank Williams admitted he regretted leaving BMW. Williams ended their partnership with Toyota at the end of 2009.

Return to Cosworth Engines (2010–2011): More Challenges

2010–2011 Seasons: Few Points

Williams returned to Cosworth engines for 2010. They also had new drivers: Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hülkenberg. Hülkenberg earned the team's first pole position in over five years in Brazil. For 2011, Pastor Maldonado replaced Hülkenberg. Williams had one of their worst seasons, scoring very few points. They finished ninth in the Constructors' Championship.

Return to Renault Engines (2012–2013): A Win and Struggles

2012–2013 Seasons: A Surprise Victory

On July 4, 2011, Williams announced they would use Renault engines again from 2012. Maldonado stayed for 2012, joined by Bruno Senna. At the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, Pastor Maldonado took his only Grand Prix victory. 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 team principal in 2013. Maldonado and Valtteri Bottas were the drivers. The team struggled a lot in 2013, scoring only five points. This difficult season led Williams to look for a new engine supplier for 2014.

Mercedes Power Units (2014–Present): A New Era

2014–2017 Seasons: Back on the Podium

In May 2013, Williams signed a long-term deal with Mercedes for engines. Bottas stayed for 2014, and Felipe Massa joined from Ferrari. The team also got a new main sponsor, Martini. Williams Martini Racing was born.

The team had a great improvement in performance. Massa got a pole position in Austria, the only time Mercedes was beaten to pole that year. Williams finished third in the Constructors' Championship in both 2014 and 2015.

For 2016, Bottas and Massa remained. In September 2016, Massa announced his retirement. Lance Stroll was announced as his replacement for 2017. However, Bottas moved to Mercedes, so Massa returned for one more year.

2018–2019: A Tough Period

In 2018, Sergey Sirotkin replaced Massa. Williams struggled a lot, scoring only 7 points and finishing last in the Constructors' Championship. Their best finish was Stroll's 8th place in Azerbaijan.

In 2019, George Russell and Robert Kubica joined the team. Williams missed early pre-season testing because their car wasn't ready. They struggled to be competitive all season, scoring only one point. However, Williams extended their engine partnership with Mercedes until 2025. Kubica left the team at the end of 2019. Nicholas Latifi replaced him for 2020.

2020–Present: New Owners and a Comeback

In 2020, Latifi and Russell showed some improved qualifying performances. In August 2020, Dorilton Capital, a US investment group, bought Williams Racing. The team kept its name and UK base. Claire Williams left her role as team principal. Jost Capito became the new CEO. Williams did not score any points in the 2020 season, their first pointless season in 44 years.

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 scored Williams's first podium since 2017. Williams finished eighth in the Constructors' Championship.

For 2022, Alex Albon joined Williams, replacing Russell who moved to Mercedes. Latifi stayed with the team. Albon scored points in Australia and Miami. Nyck de Vries replaced Albon for one race in Italy and scored points on his debut. Williams finished tenth in the Constructors' Championship.

Before the 2023 season, James Vowles became the new Team Principal. For 2023, Williams partnered with Gulf Oil. Albon's contract was extended, and rookie Logan Sargeant joined him. Sargeant is the first American driver in Formula One since 2015. Albon scored points in Bahrain. Albon and Sargeant were kept for the 2024 season. Sargeant was later replaced by Franco Colapinto for the rest of the 2024 season.

Williams Group: Beyond F1

Williams Grand Prix Holdings is the company that owns Williams Racing. It also includes other parts like Williams Heritage and Williams Grand Prix Technologies. They used to own Williams Hybrid Power and Williams Advanced Engineering, which took F1 technology and used it for other products. These two companies have since been sold.

Dorilton Capital bought Williams Grand Prix Holdings in 2020. The Williams family no longer leads the team.

Williams Heritage: Preserving History

Williams Heritage (WH) is a special division that keeps and maintains old Williams Formula One cars. They restore them and make sure they can still be driven on track. This division helps preserve the team's rich history.

Williams Grand Prix Technologies: F1 Tech for Everyone

Williams Grand Prix Technologies (WGPT) started in 2024. This company uses the smart ideas and technologies from Formula One to solve engineering problems for other businesses. They work with different industries like cars, planes, defense, and sports. They offer services like advanced materials, simulations, and data analysis.

Williams Driver Academy: Growing Future Stars

Like many F1 teams, Williams has its own driver academy. This academy helps young, talented drivers develop their skills. Some famous drivers who have been part of the Williams Driver Academy include Logan Sargeant, Lance Stroll, and Nicholas Latifi.

Williams Experience Centre: Visit the Team!

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

Other Motorsports Activities

Formula Two: Designing Race Cars

Williams helped develop the cars for the revived Formula Two championship, which started in 2009.

Group B Rallying: Off-Road Power

Williams developed the MG Metro 6R4 rally car in 1984. This car was designed for the tough Group B rallying rules. It had a powerful V6 engine and four-wheel drive.

British Touring Car Championship: Track Racing Success

Williams entered the British Touring Car Championship in 1995. They took over Renault's racing program. They won the manufacturers' championship in 1995. In 1997, Williams had a breakthrough year, winning the drivers' championship with Alain Menu, the manufacturers' trophy, and the teams' award. They won 15 out of 24 races that year.

Le Mans 24 Hours and Sportscars: Endurance Racing

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

Formula E: Electric Racing Batteries

Williams's Advanced Engineering division helps with Formula E, the electric racing series. Williams has a contract to supply the battery system for the Gen 3 cars from the 2021–22 season.

Automobile Activities: Road Cars with F1 Tech

Jaguar C-X75: A Hybrid Supercar

Williams Advanced Engineering helped Jaguar build the C-X75, a hybrid-electric concept car. A limited number of these supercars were planned for production. Williams also helped build stunt versions of the C-X75 for the James Bond film Spectre.

Renault Clio Williams: A Special Edition Car

The Williams name and logo were used on the Renault Clio Williams. This was a special sports model of the Renault Clio car. However, Williams did not actually help design this car.

Porsche 911 GT3R Hybrid: Energy Storage

Through its Williams Hybrid Power division, the company developed a special energy storage system for a Porsche 911 GT3 R race car. This system uses a spinning flywheel to store energy, helping the car save fuel.

Former Subsidiaries

WAE Technologies: Innovation for the World

WAE Technologies, formerly Williams Advanced Engineering, was the technology and engineering services part of the Williams Group. They provide battery technology for Formula E and Extreme E electric racing series. They also worked with Jaguar on the C-X75 supercar. In 2022, an Australian mining company bought Williams Advanced Engineering. The company was renamed WAE Technologies in 2023 and then Fortescue Zero in 2024.

Williams Hybrid Power: Green Technology

Williams Hybrid Power (WHP) developed special flywheels to store energy. These flywheels help vehicles save fuel and reduce pollution. While originally for Formula One, this technology was used in buses and in the Audi R18 hybrid car that won the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hours. Williams Hybrid Power was sold in 2014.

Williams Race Cars

The Williams team has built their own cars since 1978. All their cars are named after the founder, Frank Williams, using "FW" followed by a number.

Year	Car	Image	Category
1978	Williams FW06		Formula One
1979	Williams FW07		Formula One
1980	Williams FW07B		Formula One
1981	Williams FW07C		Formula One
	Williams FW07D		Formula One
1982	Williams FW08		Formula One
	Williams FW08B		Formula One
1983	Williams FW08C		Formula One
	Williams FW09		Formula One
1984	Williams FW09B		Formula One
1985	Williams FW10		Formula One
1986	Williams FW11		Formula One
1987	Williams FW11B		Formula One
1988	Williams FW12		Formula One
1989	Williams FW12C		Formula One
	Williams FW13		Formula One
1990	Williams FW13B		Formula One
1991	Williams FW14		Formula One
1992	Williams FW14B		Formula One
1993	Williams FW15C		Formula One
	Williams FW15D		Formula One
1994	Williams FW16		Formula One
	Williams FW16B		Formula One
	Williams FW16C		Formula One
1995	Williams FW17		Formula One
	Williams FW17B		Formula One
1996	Williams FW18		Formula One
1997	Williams FW19		Formula One
1998	Williams FW20		Formula One
1999	Williams FW21		Formula One
2000	Williams FW22		Formula One
2001	Williams FW23		Formula One
2002	Williams FW24		Formula One
2003	Williams FW25		Formula One
2004	Williams FW26		Formula One
2005	Williams FW27		Formula One
2006	Williams FW28		Formula One
2007	Williams FW29		Formula One
2008	Williams FW30		Formula One
2009	Williams FW31		Formula One
	Williams JPH1		Formula Two
2010	Williams FW32		Formula One
	Williams JPH1B		Formula Two
2011	Williams FW33		Formula One
2012	Williams FW34		Formula One
2013	Williams FW35		Formula One
2014	Williams FW36		Formula One
2015	Williams FW37		Formula One
2016	Williams FW38		Formula One
2017	Williams FW40		Formula One
2018	Williams FW41		Formula One
2019	Williams FW42		Formula One
2020	Williams FW43		Formula One
2021	Williams FW43B		Formula One
2022	Williams FW44		Formula One
2023	Williams FW45		Formula One
2024	Williams FW46		Formula One

Formula One Race Results

• Constructors' Championships winning percentage: 19.6%
• Drivers' Championships winning percentage: 15.2%
• Winning percentage: 15.5%

Drivers' Champions for Williams

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

• Alan Jones (1980)
• Keke Rosberg (1982)
• Nelson Piquet (1987)
• Nigel Mansell (1992)
• Alain Prost (1993)
• Damon Hill (1996)
• Jacques Villeneuve (1997)

See also

In Spanish: Williams Racing para niños