Williams have signed a deal with Mercedes for the supply of power units for five more years, extending their current deal until the end of 2025.
Since the beginning of the turbo hybrid era, Mercedes engines have been among the class of the field and have powered the Mercedes AMG F1 team to five World Drivers Championships and five World Constructors Championships, and look likely to add both 2019 titles to that tally.
Williams have partnered with Mercedes since 2014, making the most of their early power advantage to secure 3rd place in the constructors championship in 2014 and again in 2015.
Unfortunately, since then Williams has been unable to build a car able to exploit one of the best power units in the field (especially of late), but this is something everyone at Williams is hoping to remedy in the coming months and years.
The news comes as a fillip for Williams in a difficult spell and is the second welcome indication of stability and longevity at a time of increased uncertainty, following the announcement that title sponsor ROKiT will remain with the team for another three years.
The deal will take Williams well into the new era of Formula 1 that begins with a new agreement and regulations that will come into effect in 2021.
Williams hope that this agreement will see a fairer distribution of F1’s wealth between teams, a restriction on the current unlimited budget some of the top teams enjoy, and a stricter policing on B-Teams – all of which should combine to make the playing field a good deal fairer for everyone, and give independent teams like Williams a better opportunity to be able to compete rather than simply participate.
The hard work that everyone at Williams is doing behind the scenes ahead of 2021 should give them a solid footing upon which enter into this bright new dawn!
0 Comments