Williams-Renault deal is about the future, not nostalgia, says Frank Williams

The previous Williams/Renault partnership, which ran from 1989 to 1997, delivered four drivers' and five constructors' titles. The team announced today that it would switch back to Renault engines from next season, having most recently run Cosworth power units.

"On the face of it, people will assume Williams-Renault back together is a great story - watch the winning happen," said Williams, "but I remind people F1 never stands still, what we achieved in the 90s is no guarantee of what we can achieve in the future.

"Renault can win races and does still win races, and we have ahead of us at Williams a steep mountain. We will climb it, how long it will take us we don't know but we will deliver our side of the bargain. I'm really thrilled and delighted and slightly nervous."

Team chairman Adam Parr reiterated that Williams had gone back to Renault because of the potential the 2010 title-winning engine offered for the future, rather than for nostalgic reasons.

"Today is about the future, it is very tempting to dwell on the past, but we must not do that," he said.

"We are a team that needs to do better than we are doing today and this partnership is incredibly important to us as a team and company.

"Building on past success and a good relationship with Renault, we are looking forward to uniting their astonishing technology with a renewed and revived chassis side of the team.

"We have been through a difficult process of selecting a new technical group to take us forward. We announced in the last few days three technical appointments for the future, and bringing this engine partnership to join them will be a phenomenal boost.

"Frank announced this to the factory one hour ago and you could feel enthusiasm from team towards it."

Parr said that the collaboration would stretch beyond an engine supply, and was likely to be extended past the current two-year deal.

"We hope this partnership will go on for many years, it is a partnership based around the V8 they have raced successfully," he said. "The rules are fresh off the press with the V6 for 2014 but we are discussing that for the future.

"Beyond the F1 relationship we hope there will be collaboration with a number of technical and commercial areas. There is enormous potential for us to work together."