Williams denies rumours it could move towards Mercedes F1 'B team' deal
Claire Williams has denied speculation Williams would consider forging a closer relationship with Formula 1 engine supplier Mercedes and share components in the way Haas does with Ferrari
Reports have suggested that Lance Stroll's father Lawrence is pushing for Williams to have a Haas-style 'B team' deal with Mercedes that would give it access to technology from the four-time world champion team, and also allow Williams to trim its staffing levels and potentially cut costs.
Williams currently employs 550 people, significantly more than the likes of Force India, which has a staff of around 400.
The team has always been known for its determination to remain a constructor - unlike fellow Mercedes customer Force India it still uses its own gearbox - and Williams insists that there are no plans to change its philosophy.
"I don't know where that story has come from," Williams told Autosport. "We are a constructor.
"Frank [Williams] and Patrick [Head] fought for our independence for decades, and they did an incredibly good job.
"One of my responsibilities is to protect our independence. And that's incredibly important to us."
Williams did acknowledge that the team has to generate funds to help bridge the next two seasons before a potential redistribution of F1 income kicks in for 2021, and gives teams outside the current top three players a financial boost.
"We're always trying to, that's the fun of F1, you're always every year looking at your budget and making sure that you have a healthy racing budget to compete with the following year," he said.
"It's no different this year to the previous year, or 10 years ago or 30 years ago, it's exactly the same.
"Things haven't changed. We announced our annual results last week, and they were really positive, so I don't think anyone should be too worried about Williams for the time being.
"But we need those 2021 proposals, we've made no secret of that fact not only for our team but we believe for the future of the sport they are incredibly important."
Previous article
Nico Hulkenberg gets grid penalty for F1 gearbox change in Baku
Next article
Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Sebastian Vettel claims third straight pole
The final throes of Brazil's fleetingly successful F1 team
Emerson Fittipaldi is better remembered for his Formula 1 world championships and Indianapolis 500 successes than for the spell running his eponymous F1 team. Despite a hugely talented roll call of staff, it was a period of internal strife, limited funding and few results - as remembered by Autosport's technical consultant
Why McLaren's expanding agenda will benefit its F1 resurgence
In the 1960s and 1970s, McLaren juggled works entries in F1, sportscars and the Indy 500 while building cars for F3 and F2. Now it’s returning to its roots, expanding into IndyCars and Extreme E while continuing its F1 renaissance. There’s talk of Formula E and WEC entries too. But is this all too much, too soon? STUART CODLING talks to the man in charge
How Tsunoda plans to achieve his F1 potential
Yuki Tsunoda arrived in grand prix racing amid a whirlwind of hype, which only increased after his first race impressed the biggest wigs in Formula 1. His road since has been rocky and crash-filled, and OLEG KARPOV asks why Red Bull maintains faith in a driver who admits he isn’t really that big a fan of F1?
The danger of reading too much into F1's clickbait radio messages
OPINION: After Lewis Hamilton responded to reports labelling him 'furious' with Mercedes following his heated exchanges over team radio during the Russian Grand Prix, it provided a snapshot on how Formula 1 broadcasting radio snippets can both illuminate and misrepresent the true situation
Why F1’s approach to pole winners with grid penalties undermines drivers
OPINION: Valtteri Bottas is credited with pole position for the 2021 Turkish Grand Prix, despite being beaten in qualifying. This is another example of Formula 1 and the FIA scoring an own goal by forgetting what makes motorsport magic, with the Istanbul race winner also a victim of this in the championship’s recent history
Turkish Grand Prix Driver Ratings
On a day that the number two Mercedes enjoyed a rare day in the sun, the Turkish Grand Prix produced several standout drives - not least from a driver who has hit a purple patch of late
The hidden factors that thwarted Hamilton's bid for shock Turkish GP glory
Starting 11th after his engine change grid penalty, Lewis Hamilton faced a tough task to repeat his Turkish Grand Prix heroics of 2020 - despite making strong early progress in the wet. Instead, his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas broke through for a first win of the year to mitigate Max Verstappen re-taking the points lead
How pitstops evolved into an F1 art form
A Formula 1 pitstop is a rapid-fire blend of high technology and human performance. PAT SYMONDS describes how the science of margin gains makes stops so quick
