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Parr says Williams can now challenge big guns
July 6, 2011, Wednesday
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WILLIAMS now have all the ingredients in place to make rapid progress back into Formula One contention after signing an engine deal with Renault for 2012, according to chairman Adam Parr.
In the last six months, the former champion has listed the company in Frankfurt, agreed a non-F1 partnership with Indian-owned Jaguar, undertaken a major revamp of its technical department and renewed a relationship with Renault that harks back to the glory years of the 1990s.
That same engine also powers current world champion Red Bull.
"I think we have got all the ingredients. I am very excited," Parr said after Monday's engine announcement.
"Things are looking more positive. The on-track performance is not there, but it is better than it was and we can see light at the end of the tunnel.
"We can see where we are going now and it looks quite exciting."
Williams is currently ninth of the 12 teams, with just four points from eight races after their worst start to a season.
Slim margins
The team, which won nine constructors' titles between 1980 and 1997, last celebrated a race victory in 2004.
"Why not? The margins are so slim in F1," Parr said when asked whether the Renault engine could be a springboard to a big leap forward.
"I see no reason why we cannot make the progress next year that we should have done this year. And it will not just be down to the engine, it will be down to everything.
"I am very proud of what we have done in the last two or three months because we have obviously, I think, had a very decisive review of the technical side and where we have been weak and where we need to go," he added.
"The new people that we are bringing in are first class and I am are very excited about that."
Mike Coughlan, who left McLaren after being embroiled in a 2007 spying controversy, has already started work as chief engineer, while current technical director Sam Michael is leaving at the end of the season.
Jason Somerville is returning to the team as head of aerodynamics, while ex-McLaren man Mark Gillan is also arriving as chief operations engineer.
In the last six months, the former champion has listed the company in Frankfurt, agreed a non-F1 partnership with Indian-owned Jaguar, undertaken a major revamp of its technical department and renewed a relationship with Renault that harks back to the glory years of the 1990s.
That same engine also powers current world champion Red Bull.
"I think we have got all the ingredients. I am very excited," Parr said after Monday's engine announcement.
"Things are looking more positive. The on-track performance is not there, but it is better than it was and we can see light at the end of the tunnel.
"We can see where we are going now and it looks quite exciting."
Williams is currently ninth of the 12 teams, with just four points from eight races after their worst start to a season.
Slim margins
The team, which won nine constructors' titles between 1980 and 1997, last celebrated a race victory in 2004.
"Why not? The margins are so slim in F1," Parr said when asked whether the Renault engine could be a springboard to a big leap forward.
"I see no reason why we cannot make the progress next year that we should have done this year. And it will not just be down to the engine, it will be down to everything.
"I am very proud of what we have done in the last two or three months because we have obviously, I think, had a very decisive review of the technical side and where we have been weak and where we need to go," he added.
"The new people that we are bringing in are first class and I am are very excited about that."
Mike Coughlan, who left McLaren after being embroiled in a 2007 spying controversy, has already started work as chief engineer, while current technical director Sam Michael is leaving at the end of the season.
Jason Somerville is returning to the team as head of aerodynamics, while ex-McLaren man Mark Gillan is also arriving as chief operations engineer.
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