How the V8 era left F1's greatest independent in flux
In part six of our history of Williams, DAMIEN SMITH describes how, despite flashes of potential - even of brilliance - in the seasons immediately after the BMW divorce, at the turn of the decade Williams fell into a trough of underachievement from which it has struggled to extract itself...
Independence is a wonderful thing. To control your own destiny and enjoy the freedom that comes with self-sufficiency - it's a blessing to be your own master. But, in Formula 1, independence can also mean weakness: 'indie' teams lack the cushion of manufacturer support and tend to pay for everything themselves (or at least through sponsors, if they can find them), including the biggest outlay: engines.
Such teams tend to lack power - both metaphorically and literally - to compete at the sharp end, on the track and in boardrooms. It's an unequal struggle, a tough, on-the-edge existence. In F1, sometimes independent freedom isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Share Or Save This Story
The secrets of F1 turbocharging explained
Why Alpine’s rigorous training camp yields telling insights into its juniors
How a carryover Alpine blighted by politics gave Ocon an improbable F1 win
Why Ocon retains the approach forced on him by his “crazy journey”
The "fashion evolution" that transformed F1 drivers' helmet designs
The status factor that made Ferrari impossible for Hamilton to turn down
The lucrative deal that points to F1 Academy’s health
The increasing hurdles in front of Ricciardo's potential Red Bull return
Dale Coyne Racing retains Harvey for Long Beach IndyCar race
How to watch WRC's Croatia Rally: schedule, line-up and more
McLaren F1 team bracing for "damage limitation" in Chinese GP
How Porsche won, lost and won in Misano Formula E mayhem
The secrets of F1 turbocharging explained
Why Alpine’s rigorous training camp yields telling insights into its juniors
Ranking Derek Warwick’s top 10 greatest races
The ironic reason Newey thinks Red Bull hasn't been caught in F1 yet
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
