How F1 tech reaches supermarkets, soldiers and saves babies
From grand prix racing roots, Williams Advanced Engineering has quietly built a business credited with saving Formula E and advancing technology in various projects, but why does it prefer a low profile?
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Supermarket shoppers, babies in desperate need of emergency transportation and British soldiers - all are linked by one company. It's got a famous first name in the motorsport sphere too: Williams Advanced Engineering.
Alongside Williams's illustrious 42-year history in Formula 1, its 114 grand prix wins, seven drivers' champions and nine constructors' titles, WAE can trace its roots back through the team's involvement with the Metro 6R4 rally car, the Renault British Touring Car squad and the 1999 Le Mans-winning BMW V12 LMR machine.
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Alex Kalinauckas is Autosport's Grand Prix Editor, covering every Formula 1 race since the start of 2020. After completing a master's degree in journalism at Goldsmiths College University of London in 2014, he worked for a range of motorsport and technology publications while covering national racing as an Autosport freelancer.
A lifelong motorsport fan - no one in his family can explain quite how or why such a development first occurred - Alex joined the Autosport staff in April 2017 as the magazine’s Assistant Editor covering Formula 2 and GP3, before being made Formula E correspondent and Autosport.com’s Plus Editor in March 2018. He lives in north-east London and is constantly frustrated by the Central Line.
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