WILLIAMS MARKS 150 RACES

F1 Williams–Renault partnership marked its 150^th race with the Bahrain Grand Prix Race. Though the magic fizzled out on the Shakir track, Williams F1 Team seems more determined to work on its strategies. The team gained points over the Malaysia and Shanghai GP races, the double FW34s retirements from 57-lap race on Sunday, came as a disappointment.

Surviving the local political protests and Bahrain circuit, F1 Team Williams stood at seventh position of the teams’ championship with 18 points, while the Red Bull Racing stood second, Lotus on sixth and Caterham on the 11th position. Though Williams’ man, Maldonado made a great start and ran as high as 11^th, the Venezuelan racer had a problem with the left-rear of his car which made him spin out and return to the pits, causing him to retire on lap 25.  However partner Bruno Senna held on until the 54^th lap until a handling problem left him with no option but to call it a day on the fourth race of the season.

With all the focus on the impact that Pirelli’s 2012 tyres are creating on the tracks, there have been whispers suggesting that the unpredictable performances this year is turning F1 into a lottery. However, many teams are convinced that the dust will settle down soon and that it is highly recommendable to turn attentions to individual team race strategies and making each of them to work for their advantage.

Williams’ chief operations engineer Mark Gillan, states:

“I would not say it is a lottery, but strategy is becoming much more important – and reacting to the changes in the strategy is key.”

The Williams’ team is currently gearing up for the three-day Mugello test. On the other hand the new addition to the Williams’ F1 team is the Scottish racing driver Susie Wolff, who has signed in as a development driver for Formula 1. Wolff is an established world class female-racer and has confessed that she is thrilled to be a part of the Williams Team. However, the numbers of women involved in F1 are still low. Only five women have entered F1 races in the past.

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Williams Video clip Score: 5 / 5

Williams F1 Feature – 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix [Sky Sports F1 HD]

Williams Video Ranking: / 5

SIR FRANK QUITS BOARD

It has already been revealed that Sir Frank Williams, the founder of Williams Formula 1 team is to resign from the board. Claire, Frank Williams’ daughter will join the board from next month, even though the racing pioneer from Britain will continue as a team principal.

Noxt month, Williams will be seventy years old and he has already revealed that age has turned up to be a roadblock in overseeing the Williams team’s progress.

On Williams’ official website, Sir Frank Williams stated that this is an opportune moment for him to consider his own role in the team. He turns 70 in April and he has decided to signal the next stage in the gradual but inevitable process of handing over the reins to the next generation by stepping down from the Board at the end of this month.

He further added that this is not as dramatic a move as it may appear. He will continue to work full-time as Team Principal and he will continue to attend all Board meetings as observer. He also remains the majority shareholder of Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC. Williams’ co-founder Patrick Head stepped down from the board last year. Claire Williams will undertake from 1st April. She will be the director of marketing and communications.

Frank Williams shaped the team in the year 1977. The team made its racing debut next year at the Argentinian Grand Prix. Since then, the team won 7 drivers’ championships as well as 9 constructors’ championships. In 1986, a car accident in France led Sir Frank Williams suffering a spinal cord injury and turning a tetraplegic. Since then, he used that wheelchair. Sir Frank was driving a car to Nice airport when he lost the control of the vehicle which turned over and resulted in a spinal fracture.

In 1994, after the death of Brazilian Ayrton Senna, Sir Frank was accused of manslaughter according to the Italian law, but he was cleared after many years. This year Ayrton Senna’s nephew Bruno Senna will drive for Williams Formula 1 team.

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Williams Video Rating: 5 / five

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Williams Movie Score: 5 / 5

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Williams Video clip Score: five / 5