By Tara Rippin • Published: 03 Sep 2020 • 19:12
FOR the first time in the history of the legendary Formula 1 team Williams, there will be no founding family member among the ranks.
IN a historic moment in motorsport, Claire Williams OBE, has announced she will leave her position as deputy director after this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.
This will mean there will no longer be a Williams in the team.
Following the sale to US investment firm, Dorilton Capital, the British family is stepping aside after 43 years and 739 Grand Prix.
Daughter of Frank Williams CBE, Claire said that “it was with regret” that she leaves her role, pointing out that she wanted to “preserve the Williams family legacy for the next generation”, but that the need “to find internal investments” had meant selling the equipment to Dorilton Capital, reports Motorsport.
She admitted it was her decision to move on to allow the new owners “a fresh start”, assuring that they are “the right people to bring Williams to the front of the grid” while preserving Williams legacy.
A message from Claire, to our fans.#WeAreWilliams 💙 pic.twitter.com/6pKb7t2tkH — Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) September 3, 2020
A message from Claire, to our fans.#WeAreWilliams 💙 pic.twitter.com/6pKb7t2tkH
— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) September 3, 2020
Williams joined her father’s empire in 2002 and moved up from communications to commercial and marketing director, before taking on her current role in 2013, overseeing the daily management of the team.
Williams Grand Prix Engineering has announced that Matthew Savage, Darren Fultz and James Matthews will form the company’s new board of directors following the acquisition.
Praising the family’s incredible history, Savage said “we are proud to take the Williams name to the next exciting phase for the sport and we thank Sir Frank, Claire and the Williams family for the opportunity to be a part of this great British brand.”
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Tara Rippin is a reporter for Spain’s largest English-speaking newspaper, Euro Weekly News, and is responsible for the Costa Blanca region. She has been in journalism for more than 20 years, having worked for local newspapers in the Midlands, UK, before relocating to Spain in 1990. Since arriving, the mother-of-one has made her home on the Costa Blanca, while spending 18 months at the EWN head office in Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol. She loves being part of a community that has a wonderful expat and Spanish mix, and strives to bring the latest and most relevant news to EWN’s loyal and valued readers.
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