The two F1 fallen giants that must adapt or die
Two of Formula 1's most successful teams have been in a spiral of decline over recent years. Unless they adapt to the changes occurring in the championship, they risk being left behind for good
It seems hard to believe that once mighty powerhouses Williams and McLaren have fallen so hard this year. Both teams, with 296 Formula 1 wins and 17 constructors' titles collectively amassed between them, had come into 2018 expecting some form of resurrection.
McLaren's switch to Renault engines, and Williams's first car under ex-Mercedes technical chief Paddy Lowe, were expected to re-establish these teams towards the front of the grid.
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Jonathan Noble is Motorsport.com’s Formula 1 editor. Having graduated from University of Sussex Jonathan worked for sports news agency Collings Sports reporting on F1, F3, touring cars and other sports, with articles appearing in The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, Reuters, Autosport and other publications. In 1999 he moved to Haymarket Publishing to become a senior editor at Autosport Special Projects, and one year later he became Autosport’s grand prix editor. In 2015 he moved to Motorsport Network, becoming the F1 editor for Motorsport.com. He is also a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers, and sits on the FIA Media Council.
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