There’s a big shake-up at Williams, who have not picked up any points in the first three races of the year. Technical director Sam Michael and chief aerodynamicist Jon Tomlinson have resigned from the Grove based outfit, and on his way in is Mike Coughlan as chief engineer. Michael, who has been with Williams for 10 years, and Tomlinson will leave at the end of this season when their contracts expire. Coughlan will join in June.
If that last name sounds familiar, it’s because Coughlan was the man in the 2007 Spygate scandal. The ex-McLaren man was caught with Ferrari documents in his possession and has completed a two-year ban from the sport. This is his first return to F1. He has a shot to be technical director, but Williams will only decide at the end of the season.
“We have a technical director until the end of the year, and it is important to have clarity in the roles. Mike, as chief engineer, will be driving forward our engineering process and ensuring systems are in place for success. He will be responsible for the FW34, next year’s car, and how that develops
“Sam will remain accountable for this year’s car, and because there are minimal changes in rules from this year to next, there is a lot of continuity. That is the way it will run until the end of the year, and then we will make a decision about whether Mike becomes technical director, or remains as chief engineer and we bring someone alongside him as technical director,” Williams Chairman Adam Parr said.
On Coughlan’s “convict” status, Parr said: “My view is quite simple: you do something wrong, you get a penalty, you serve your time and you acknowledge what you did was wrong. Everyone has the right to move beyond that – otherwise, what was portrayed as a two-year penalty is a lifetime penalty, and that is not right.”
Parr himself offered to resign, but it was not accepted by the owners. Parr also revealed that 65-year old co-founder Patrick Head is set to retire this year. Sinking ship?
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Some casualties as a result of the public listing?
Really hoping to see Williams challenge for podiums again, maybe an occasional victory.
pity frank.
but that accident in 1986 marked the start of a long decline for him and the team..
he was also a very keen runner, and would always run the racing track with his driver then (alain prost), appreciating the nuances of the curves and straights so as to setup the car better.
his accident left him needing a a wheel chair… but what a sleek thing it is. carbon fibre etc. however it never became a hindrance or an excuse for him when his cars did not do well.
a true f1 hero. wish you the best frank! probably you need another newey. he should be convinced to come full circle and back to williams f1
its good to know that williams f1 is having a shake up….it is still one of my favourite teams in f1…the reasons they fell apart a few seasons ago was thier reluctance to move on with the times the way Mclaren and the others did..and a couple of wrong moves for the team meant that they lost the edge they once had….
.the williams bmw cars that was run by juan pablo montoya still holds the lap records on certain circuits and was a monster of a car but unreliable..the fact that both parties constanly at each other led to bmw’s departure which frank regrets until today..
..i truly believe if they had kept the relationship going like mclaren and merc does (despite fueding) they would be right up there with the front runners today and may have won a few constructors championships and drivers ones along the way….oh well….looking in hindsight always gives u a 20/20 vision