@Russell Richards No way is McLaren next. They have some of the most powerful shareholders in F1. They have one of the most successful super car brands in the world. Under no circumstances is McLaren leaving. The worst outcome for McLaren is that they have to fire some people and liquidate some assets. That's it.
@Russell Richards Your completely wrong and it sounds like you are one of those people who will refuse to even consider the fact that you may be wrong. Mclaren automotive had a revenue of 1.4 billion last year. They are one of the fastest growing super brands. None of the brands you mentioned above have either of those. (Also comparing merc is a bit stupid cause that was more than 50 years ago and they left cause of a motorsport accident not cause of money.) They have the Bahrain wealth fund owning a significant stake in the company. That means they have a literal government backing them up. Michael latifi a multibillionaire has a 10% stake in the company. You are definitely braindead if you think McLaren are just gonna disappear cause of 200mil loss.
If she’s at the negotiating table she needs to be realistic and got a solid backbone, anyone on the other side will try to strong arm her and the Williams name. Really hope Williams remains in F1 and could possibly revive to be a competent midfield contender.
Value is how much someone will pay for it . Williams stock 5 years back was worth far more than today's value . F1 these days seems more about funneling money than actual investment
A lot of animosity towards Claire. Everyone must have forgotten that Williams didn't do so hot with Frank for a big chunk of their history. Claire became Deputy Team Principal in 2013 and a year later they finish highest in the constructors standing since 2003. Their 9th and final championship was 1997. For 16 years Williams struggled to get back on top under Frank's watch.
It's kinda sad to see that this might be the Beginning of the End for Williams. If they're lucky somebody like Daddy latifi will buy Williams, and keep it as is but with a big rich owner, somewhat like Force india with Daddy Stroll
And changed it to a constructor like Aston Martin................ Hopefully the new owners will have interest in keeping the Williams name because of the PR and the teams history. Wouldn't be surprised to see Ford Williams or something like that
its really the beginning of the end of F1 when they downsized to the V6 but I believe... they have gone down hill since mid 2000's as far as exciting.. I think its the tracks are shit, designed by the same guy.. and budget. Add regulations up the gazzoo.. take away half the team in pit stops you get less strategy even. F1 used to field in its hayday.. 26 cars.. 13 teams. Now its just the junior teams with no real funding driving around the track.. no real chance of ever winning vs 4 teams... yeah.. so exciting.. When I watch Blancpain GT3 series.. that's exciting.
I think she s gutted, more like over her dead spirit... but she s said it, F1 has become out of reach for independents, its now only for billionaires and corporations. I think 2021 budget caps and rule changes is what formula 1 needs but not necessarily wants!
Couldn't agree more. I think having Claire as a team principle shows the management structure of Williams. It's not a meritocracy it's a monarchy. Just because she is the daughter of Frank she got the job.
Claire Williams sounds more absurd than Benny Hill now. Ship is literally sinking but everything is fine. All is going well and according to plan. This level of surrealism radiating from team manager is truly astonishing. Unbelievable... and pretty hilarious at the same time.
In all the other interviews with the other team principals a lot of them are concerned because of corona and say they do their best to survive. Meanwhile williams is going down at mach 3 and she says everything is fine. If you ignore a problem it just gets bigger
Point taken, but what would you like to hear her say? 'We're fucked, nothings working, I wanna' throw my dummy outta' the pram'! Seriously mate, if you don't understand the need to remain calm and positive, even when things are going wrong, it's probably a good thing you're not involved in F1.
I'm confused, a business is failing. It's been underperforming for 20 years. They can no longer pay staff or get sponsors, yet selling the family company is a positive thing!?
That's why they're in trouble. Claire doesn't get it.. she says things like "the staff inspire her" isn't it suppose to be the other way around. The boss inspires everyone else.. buying paid drivers year after year.. it has a Mercedes engine, what the hell are they doing
I think that many of you are being rather cruel and dismissive about Claire. Frankly (sic) - she has carried thev team since her brothers opted out, and her Dad was injured. F1 Teams run essentially on two things - petrol and MONEY! I've thought for some time that she is keeping the team going for her Dad, (who bless him) is 78 and in poor health. I sincerely hope that her efforts are not in vain! Bless her!
It sucks that she was left holding the fort, but she should have just hired someone more qualified and taken a role below the principal. Her ego and desire to please her Dad blinded her from the fact she just didn't have the tools. Understandable, but misguided. I watched the documentary, she was a friend of the staff and everyone liked her, but every other principal you see is a lot more cutthroat and "all business". She just isn't that person (from what I saw)
1:09 those 2 face's on the left say it all. 😳😳. R.I.P. a legendary British racing company . Thanks for the beautiful times. The Latifi family wil take it over after the bankruptcy
Heartbreaking. Paddy Lowe screwed them so badly, I feel they ripped them off. Williams is one of my favorite, even my race motorcycle is Martini-Williams themed.
Nothing lasts forever, and time waits for no one... The landscape of F1 has changed, and Williams (as we we've known it) is changing. Like her parents before her, I'm sure Claire has given her best to the team. My hat is off to Team Williams. Thank you.
Silver spoon kids, they're mostly clueless. They can't fathom what it takes to build what they're enjoying and buckle at the first sight of trouble. Get someone tenacious in there Claire! This team can be saved with the right people in charge.
Anyone with any decency, in her position, would recognise how bad they have been at the job for so many years, how they have brought the team to its knees, and resign. I fear there is no hope while Claire Williams stays involved.
Dont blame her this has been going on since the end of the 90's into the BMW era willams have been so stubbon and so unwillinging to partner up with a big name organization. 9 of the other teams have gone from being "independent" to now having the support of merc or ferrari or using big name investors to keep them in the sport. Williams has not budged even when BMW made them an offer to hold a stake in williams they refused. Williams needs to get of this 1980's mentality of we are independent and will always be independent it clearly doesnt work
@@callumbishop1193 probs near the top even if merc had made willaims a defacto second team they to would probaly be near the top again as well like Toro Rosso i mean Torro rosso has had some excellent results for being the little red bull team
@@jantheunissen2986 Yes, and GM couldn't manage them because they were too independent. They kept doing things their own way instead of GM's way, so GM pulled the trigger.
goodbye to the best delivery in recent years. Also I still don't know why she is still in denial. The only way that Williams will do better on and off the track is by having a new GM, more focused on results, and less about a nostalgic feeling about her father's team.
Unfortunately I have to agree. She doesn't come across cut throat enough. At least she sacked Paddy Lowe who made a mare of the 2019 car. Previously signing two pay drivers at the same time is disasterous for providing feedback to the car.
She is totally unconvincing with her ‘this is a positive thing’ line at the beginning. The Williams name will disappear from F1 and she will never work in F1 again.
It's common in society for children to get amazing jobs through their parents, especially in family businesses. Same in F1. And if you're good enough (ish) like a Lance Stroll you can just about get away with it. But if you aren't good enough in F1 (and few in this world are born with the ability of a Toto, a Horner, even a Gunter) then you get found out, just like Claire.
@@anydaynow01 Their engine deal with Mercedes has been extended until throughout the 2025 season. I don't see why they would accept a weaker PU, unless they manage to get a smiliar deal to the one they had with Toyota back in 2007/08.
@@freddy180180 I agree it would have to be one hell of a deal with Renault for them to swap, one where Renault helps to keep them on the grid with discounted parts and engines in exchange for shared telemetry and engineering feedback to help with power unit development and sport academy seats since Renault doesn't have a junior team (or a customer) like the other engine manufacturers do. Like you said they have an engine contact with Mercedes; but considering Racing Point (Austin Martin) is looking like it will get a lot of Mercedes support, they may well be the Mercedes junior team from here on out, so Williams may be out of luck on that front also.
anydaynow I agree, but I don't see how Racing Point would drop Perez.. Given his fairly consistent form throughout the 2nd half of the '18 season and 2019, outpacing Stroll as well as the amount of money his sponsors are providing.
@@Proman476 She is an amazing PR and seems to be really good at politics (even her brother says so). PR and politics are key in F1, so from that point of view, a Williams that is a good PF and good for politics, is an asset for the team
I think she's done an amazing job at the team over the years since 2013. Great that they want to keep the William's history ever present and remain as an independent team. But in some ways, this has had its down side, perhaps prevented the team from advancing in the sport, in recent seasons at least. Perhaps go through a complete restructure,
I still have my Williams Martini racing coat. I wore with pride in Texas 2015 and they got a decent result that day with Bottas and Massa both in top 5. It's been a bad decline over many years but will always love Frank and Claire. They are not a mega bucks team but they are great family team and an important part of British racing and a great team to follow and support through the good and bad. Hope they get things moving forward 🙏
Selling an iconic F1 team shouldn’t been seen as anything other then positive? That’s the masterpiece of PR talk! Speechless faces of the guys asking questions in reaction to these words are priceless.
I'm not knowledgeable in F1 so excuse me if I'm wrong but didn't they just make a huge change regarding each team having a spending cap per year? Wouldn't this make and isn't this a huge advantage for a privately owned team like Williams?
She needs to strive to be a team principal for any team, not just Williams which has realistically been given to her. If she can’t manage any other team, then she isn’t fit to lead Williams either.
Nice to see Paul di Resta with a table and flowers in the background...feels so lonely looking at his empty apartment thinking he had enough money to buy a place in Monaco but not enough to furnish it.
Williams helped make F1 what it is most team's have winning and losing streaks yet only 4 have been in the battle from the 70's. Win or loose they are one of the greatest, it's a sad day when no Williams family members are in F1
Watching the Netflix series and they are standing around the car in the factory a few days before testing and they hadn't got the wheel nuts sorted, Claire just stood there looking gormless I thought there's no hope for them with such weak management. Toto would have ripped someone a new arse for that balls up
The team has been on a downhill trajectory since the end of 1997 and modern F1 is very punishing for independent teams like Williams. It blows my mind how quick people are to accuse her of incompetence as if somehow restoring the team to the front of the grid was ever a realistic notion given the state of the sport. Yes, if they’d sold the team years ago they’d not be in this position BUT they’d also not be Williams. If they can sell a minority stake in the company they can continue as Williams because at the end of the day, all that can be done is keep the team alive until F1 becomes more sustainable.
Simply heartbreaking to watch. I LOVE how fiercely they’ve held on to the ‘privateer’ image in Formula 1, and how sweet the victories through the years seemed to feel in part due to that image. And it makes this news feel all the more tragic. There’s a lot about Claire that I admire, but the reality is unavoidable. The proverbial plane was piloted straight into the deck with her at the controls. I do really wish I could hear Sir Frank speak on this. For the first minute or two I kept expecting one of the boys to ask “So, Claire... have you decided which of the rafters you’ll be hanging yourself from?” That was HARSH!
The downfall of Williams started way before Claire took over. Their aero department lacked ingenuity since decades for instance. The problem in my opinion was that guys like Frank and Patrick Head were stuck in an late 80s early 90s mentality of how to lead the team which started to be problematic in the early 2000s. Add to this poor decision making over the last 25 years and it all boils down to what we can see now.
shi01 I agree with what you’re saying, but adding Claire to the end of that lot you describe wasn’t going to help. She is out of her depth. She talks like a HR manager, not a principal.
She ran it to the ground. Gotta feel sorry for the shareholders. This is the reason why you should have qualified people running a company, not a child.
You have to respect Claire for always being upfront and tackling the most challenging questions and comments, some of which are crude and gritty. Very persistent and collected woman.
Excuse my english. I couldn't find the right word. So i put i in "...." I am german and was a Schumacher fanboy as a kid. So Williams and McLaren were the enemy.
Hire Pay drivers check , treat drivers like sh*t check, no continuity and consistency check, go for the cheapest engine check, continue with the worst team principal on the grid check. No wonder they are last on the grid.
Indeed. Watching drive to survive she appeared way too nice and forgiving. When they lost those parts I imagine Toto, horner, Steiner etc absolutely losing it
Got to Love Claire ... she is definitely my secret crush. So passionate about the team ... We just want to see Williams back up fighting for podiums 💪🤞
Claire ( quite rightfully ) is going to big it up about Williams, and sing all the positives....... they are for sale..... you don`t put a negative spin on things if you want someone to buy your product..... It`s sad that it has come to this, but the writing has been on the wall for a few years now.... budgets got out of control..... this new limit has come too late to save Williams...... but I wish them success in the future as we don`t want to see the name disappear.
What a surprise, PDR asks a rediculous question to start it off. His career in F1 - Race wins: 0, podiums: 0. What a trusted source of insight you are!
They should have replace her and see how that works, way way before thinking about selling the team. It's a shame the she brought the team to the knees. Passion is not enough to lead an f1 team, and she has nothing in common with her father, rather than the name.
Don't think it would have made a difference especially when I don't think she's done anything particularly wrong. She picked the right power unit, hired good drivers, brought in a well known sponsor in martini and hired staff that were part of successful teams. What's held them back and why they sunk back to the bottom is money. I doubt Toto Wolff or Christian Horner would be able to do any better given the budget constraints Williams are under. Their running costs went up due to the expense of the hybrid engines so the other parts of the car performance were affected as a result. You can say force india did better with limited resources but they also ran out of money faster being in administration 2 years ago.
If/when the team is sold, I don't think the new owner will get rid of its name. Williams is a very common last name and they can simply say that the team has a new namesake.
Very interesting how this whole thing played out. Toto wanted out because he had the Mercedes opportunity, so in order to get out of Williams he needed a successor. Claire didnt want the job but toto said she could do it....when in reality he just needed someone to take his spot. Now it looks like hes coming back to them. He probably is getting his same shares for pennies on the dollar.
F1 needs Williams in F1 such a shame that they have not been up at the front really hope someone bungs them a big bag of cash and gets them back where they should be
That is such a stupid remark! This is a big company with a board of directors that made the decision to old school produce their own parts, like they have done since they started, instead of buying them ready made from merc or ferrari like other teams do. That is a choice, not an easy option and takes courage to do so. You know nothing about Williams as a whole company, which is an engineering company. It should be applauded that they wanted to remain an old school team instead of all the ferrari's and merc's that are now racing. These times i guess that is the only option that is left, sell ones principles.... because that is the cheapest and only option. Totally kills the sport, which used to be great because of all the engineering progress.
@@ilananl1004 I totally agree, it was commendable of them to stay true to the old formula for as long as they did, all on a comparatively shoe string budget while every team around them has major corporate funding and support in one form or another. Plus I'm guessing Frank's determination and legacy had a lot to do with the decision making on this matter. You said it best when it was the old way of doing things, now the rest of the field is based on trickle down drivers, parts, technology and cash from the top three teams. The days of the daring privateer building their own car are over. It's interesting there wasn't such a vicious backlash against Peter Sauber when his team eventually went bust, or Ken Tyrell, or Jordan or the many other old teams which have come and gone, it was just their time to move on. Claire took the helm of a sinking ship plain and simple, and has been managing the crisis as well as anyone could considering their financial circumstances in comparison with other teams. Also, I still don't understand the full story behind what happened with Patty Lowe but he promised them a car, failed to deliver, and was sacked. That debacle set them back a couple seasons, but mob mentality just want's to poke the easy button instead of trying to understand the full situation. I just hope they find a patron major manufacturer or works team to help keep them afloat and prosper. If Renaut wasn't against the ropes with problems of their own they would be the perfect partner. Maybe they can work out a deal where they prop each other up and share the costs involved in developing a car. Williams can get parts and power units at a discount in exchange for giving Renault development drivers actual F1 seat time. I would say Mercedes but it's really looking like Austin Martin will be their full on junior team.
@@anydaynow01 yes, i agree. And we have indeed seen it with those other teams. Though a woman at the head is easy to blame and that is why people use it as an excuse to be so vicious, and personal. If you want to lay blame, blame the way the sport has been allowed to run. Blame the big money teams for only looking out for their own interests and FIA not looking at the bigger picture, not capable of making the desicions they start to make now. Too little too late. It started to go south in 2007 when a lot of factory teams had to pull out and teams, like Williams lost major sponsors and have never recovered since. Also i'm really worried about how long Renault can hold on too. Building an engine and supplying teams is an enormous undertaking as it is, and building an entire car and F1 team and business as engine manufacturer doesn't seem possible anymore, the way the financial side and regulations have evolved. Just the fact alone that Ferrari has a majority share because of some old outdated agreement that isn't fair or relevant anymore in the current situation. I really hope this will change. And we don't have to wait until Renault and Honda can no longer maintain their F1 adventure.... and then what? It makes me sad... But am really glad to have races again in a few weeks, if all goes well. 35 years of F1 addiction is hard to beat! I'll be thankful if and when we get to see them this year. Enjoy the races everyone!
Claire’s just stunning, doesn’t mean they aren’t good just means other teams got better! She hasn’t fucked up! Nobody fucks up if they had the guts to give something a go..
Come on Bernie (I know you are technically out of F1) and the rest of the F1 world its time to support Claire and Frank, they have done so much for F1 in the UK. Lewis and Toto why dont you buy the team?
With the whole Rokit thing, let this be a lesson to Williams and every team going forward, that when a company comes along wanting to buy sponsorship in your team, make sure you get the bloody money off them upfront. Had they made Rokit pay in full at the time they signed the deal to be the teams title sponsor, they would be in a better financial position now. Never let Sponsors drip feed you cash through a season or with a promise to pay you at the end of the season, because if they upsticks and depart you’ll be left with nothing.
Williams should sell their team's 50% stake to a car manufacturer. Maybe get Toyota onboard, they have solid cash in hand. Make it Toyota Williams... A joint effort.
Sorry but, Toyota allready pulled the plug after 7 years (2002-2009) of not achieving good results and wasting millions of dollars. Let alone winning a championship constructor. And they allready enjoying themself competing and winning races even championship in WEC. Same like Peugeot, and BMW. For now, they just not interested in returning to F1
@@alifm4098 Well, is there any reason they need to sink Millions into an LMP1 program? With many of the big long-time names out of the class, I'd say, why not? Especially with F1's focus on hybrid Power Units these past years.
@@jcchaconjr You gotta know F1 are much more expensive to run compared to WEC Especialy since 2014 At the start of Hybrid era, Cost of researching, developing MGU-K, MGU-H etc. Even if they decided to return to F1 now, They still need to start with decent to good results. If they not scoring any good results let alone winning like in the past. They will be in trouble again.
@@jcchaconjr Even Toyota was one of the team with biggest funding in F1. Decided that, after 7 years not producing any wins or even close in winning. Enough is enough better focus on other things.
This is sad but this was about to happen sooner than later. The same might happen to McLaren. Williams fall from grace came after 1997 their denial to keep their champions and pay them what they deserve, Mansell, Hill and Villeneuve, their last champion. Then problems with engines and competitiveness. After Patrick Head and Frank Williams departure, the team, once the most dominant in the sport in the 80s and 90s failed miserably to even reach the podium. The same goes for McLaren their last competitive year was 2008 they should have won in 2007 but they threw it away. Now without Ron Dennis at the helm, it has deteriorated terribly. Ferrari, Mercedes and even newcomer Red Bull have made McLaren look like a second tier team.
I don't want to bash Claire, I think she's a great person and actually probably a rather good manager in most situations, but Williams right now is not "most situations". Williams needs someone to stop downplaying what's happening and pretend everything is great when it's clearly just getting worse and worse.
Last of the privateers, hope they survive and keep the name, would hate to see another British team disappear. Good luck! Had the chance to visit the team when using BMW engines and loved the classy navy and white livery. Great premises!
'Some of our fans ..'. Who on earth is currently still a fan from a team that is consistently at the back of the grid and manages to score 1 point in an entire season?
No idea why everyone hate Claire. She ain't so bad, I guess she handles stuff better than Guenther at least (yeah, Drive to Survive). Just a couple years ago they were competitive and now they are not, soon the tables will turn and they will be P4-5 again, that is just how life works. Ups and downs. I just hope they get through this.
You can't blame Claire Williams for the situation the team is now in. The problems, and a succession of poor choices, can probably be traced back to 1996 when Frank and Patrick decided not to allow Adrian Newey to have more influence in the team, so he left - which Frank Williams very much grew to regret. 20+ years ago was the beginning of the team's decline.
So sad to see Williams in this state. I do genuinely feel sorry for Claire but the best she could do is step down and let someone else take over her position. Had it been any other team underperforming this badly, management would have found another team principal after the first bad season.
Claire your braking my ♥️ I can't believe what's happening 😱 I started watching F1 only because of Williams !!! Williams - David vs Goliath I was always pravd and happy for the team. Now it's just sad 😔
I'm hoping that Sir Frank is involved in the negotiations as Claire may be over her head. Maybe the buyer will be respectful of F1 and Williams history and their main goal will be to get them back to their former greatness. A new Principal could be a key first step. I've wondered if Stroll might invest in a second team to put them on par with the other big boys who have a first tier team along with one for development. Its a stretch but these big money guys have big egos.
How can Claire still continue to say that everything is awesome!? Objectively, if this was any other team, she'd be demolished by her peers and the media. This is a massive failure on her as a leader and a nothing, but a result or poor decisions and weak management. I hope someone buys the team, keeps the Williams name out of respect and get rid of the current crew holding the wheel.
TheGschultz I heard that all Williams problems where not Williams, when with BMW they acknowledge that they have problems but Williams love to pretend. They see problems only outside not within. I feel sorry for people believing her crap
Frank and Patrick failed to recognize how crucial Adrian Newey was to the team, and following his departure at the end of the '96 season, Williams were never a major force again. If Frank had made Newey a partner (as he did Patrick Head), I believe Williams would have remained competitive, and could be in a similar position to Red Bull today. That said, it is a rare exception for a non-factory team to prosper in Formula 1 now.
Claire. You need to be realistic when you go into negotiations. Williams is where it is and you should not struggle on. As we are facing a strong recession now, any investor may insist on onerous terms or a low sale price & they will want to see what has been done & future potential, however small that may be. Plug the Williams name as much as you can because that’s where the goodwill in the business is bound up - in the heritage and insist the name is kept. You need to hire a shrewd operator to talent spot up and coming drivers & potential lucrative marketing opportunities (merchandise etc) and another person who is an expert in turnaround situations for the accounting. It’s not too late to do this. Whatever you do, don’t dither or delay any more as that will make matters worse. Remember this. This situation is not a reflection on you as a person or your considerable abilities as it can happen to any firm in any industry right now. It’s just business. Very best of luck.
The fact that Williams have used the most reliable and fastest engine in F1 for years makes their performance look even more terrible.
Not the first time their chassis was the bottleneck for the best engine on the grid.
Yeah absolutely a Merc engine and still at the back
It's about as aero dynamic as a shoe box...
@Russell Richards No way is McLaren next. They have some of the most powerful shareholders in F1. They have one of the most successful super car brands in the world. Under no circumstances is McLaren leaving. The worst outcome for McLaren is that they have to fire some people and liquidate some assets. That's it.
@Russell Richards Your completely wrong and it sounds like you are one of those people who will refuse to even consider the fact that you may be wrong.
Mclaren automotive had a revenue of 1.4 billion last year. They are one of the fastest growing super brands. None of the brands you mentioned above have either of those. (Also comparing merc is a bit stupid cause that was more than 50 years ago and they left cause of a motorsport accident not cause of money.) They have the Bahrain wealth fund owning a significant stake in the company. That means they have a literal government backing them up. Michael latifi a multibillionaire has a 10% stake in the company.
You are definitely braindead if you think McLaren are just gonna disappear cause of 200mil loss.
If she’s at the negotiating table she needs to be realistic and got a solid backbone, anyone on the other side will try to strong arm her and the Williams name. Really hope Williams remains in F1 and could possibly revive to be a competent midfield contender.
Realistically the name is the only thing of value.
@@seanek9 Realistically they have lot of assets in factories and other businesses that are value.
@@seanek9
Don't know much.......... Do you
Value is how much someone will pay for it . Williams stock 5 years back was worth far more than today's value . F1 these days seems more about funneling money than actual investment
Yeah absolutely Williams has to stay for f1
A lot of animosity towards Claire. Everyone must have forgotten that Williams didn't do so hot with Frank for a big chunk of their history. Claire became Deputy Team Principal in 2013 and a year later they finish highest in the constructors standing since 2003. Their 9th and final championship was 1997. For 16 years Williams struggled to get back on top under Frank's watch.
She was my favorite principle from the show. I wish they covered her departure
It's kinda sad to see that this might be the Beginning of the End for Williams.
If they're lucky somebody like Daddy latifi will buy Williams, and keep it as is but with a big rich owner,
somewhat like Force india with Daddy Stroll
And changed it to a constructor like Aston Martin................ Hopefully the new owners will have interest in keeping the Williams name because of the PR and the teams history. Wouldn't be surprised to see Ford Williams or something like that
The beginning of the end was 2017 every other year after was a worse performance.
@@user-go9tc3cw4b Yes that was the beginning of the end for their performance, but i ment the beginning of the End for Williams as a Formula 1 team
its really the beginning of the end of F1 when they downsized to the V6 but I believe... they have gone down hill since mid 2000's as far as exciting.. I think its the tracks are shit, designed by the same guy.. and budget. Add regulations up the gazzoo.. take away half the team in pit stops you get less strategy even. F1 used to field in its hayday.. 26 cars.. 13 teams. Now its just the junior teams with no real funding driving around the track.. no real chance of ever winning vs 4 teams... yeah.. so exciting.. When I watch Blancpain GT3 series.. that's exciting.
The biggest problem Williams is facing is Claire living in denial.
@Ben Gibbons Why?
@Alex Llg "Prejudice is an emotional commitment to ignorance." Nathan Rutstein
@Alex Llg sounds a bit sexist
Kibido and what it’s fax
@@int9285 nothing to do with her being male or female. she's just bad at her job like plenty of other men.
She previously said "over my dead body" lol
dead budy
I think she s gutted, more like over her dead spirit... but she s said it, F1 has become out of reach for independents, its now only for billionaires and corporations. I think 2021 budget caps and rule changes is what formula 1 needs but not necessarily wants!
If we judge by results Claire has been an exceptionally poor team principal, so it's hard to believe any new owner would keep her.
Couldn't agree more. I think having Claire as a team principle shows the management structure of Williams. It's not a meritocracy it's a monarchy. Just because she is the daughter of Frank she got the job.
Claire Williams sounds more absurd than Benny Hill now. Ship is literally sinking but everything is fine. All is going well and according to plan. This level of surrealism radiating from team manager is truly astonishing. Unbelievable... and pretty hilarious at the same time.
Absolutely agree. She is deluded and is clearly out of her depth in her position.
In all the other interviews with the other team principals a lot of them are concerned because of corona and say they do their best to survive. Meanwhile williams is going down at mach 3 and she says everything is fine. If you ignore a problem it just gets bigger
"Positive" We'll stay the same, same, same.. new livery.
2020, 21, 22 results same, same, same.
Point taken, but what would you like to hear her say? 'We're fucked, nothings working, I wanna' throw my dummy outta' the pram'! Seriously mate, if you don't understand the need to remain calm and positive, even when things are going wrong, it's probably a good thing you're not involved in F1.
@@MrSabrecat it's pretty simple, mate. I would like her to say Goodbye.
I'm confused, a business is failing. It's been underperforming for 20 years. They can no longer pay staff or get sponsors, yet selling the family company is a positive thing!?
It is positive because it will secure all the jobs and will bring in the necessary funds.
That's why they're in trouble. Claire doesn't get it.. she says things like "the staff inspire her" isn't it suppose to be the other way around. The boss inspires everyone else.. buying paid drivers year after year.. it has a Mercedes engine, what the hell are they doing
That's why they are in the position they are, she is delusional.
HighBridgeSpeed “delusion of grandeur”
They’re not underperforming for 20 years more like 5 years they just look worse because of last season and the other four season they underperformed
I think that many of you are being rather cruel and dismissive about Claire. Frankly (sic) - she has carried thev team since her brothers opted out, and her Dad was injured. F1 Teams run essentially on two things - petrol and MONEY! I've thought for some time that she is keeping the team going for her Dad, (who bless him) is 78 and in poor health. I sincerely hope that her efforts are not in vain! Bless her!
It sucks that she was left holding the fort, but she should have just hired someone more qualified and taken a role below the principal. Her ego and desire to please her Dad blinded her from the fact she just didn't have the tools. Understandable, but misguided. I watched the documentary, she was a friend of the staff and everyone liked her, but every other principal you see is a lot more cutthroat and "all business". She just isn't that person (from what I saw)
Breaking news! It appears r/formuladank is willing to acquire Williams racing for approximately 30million pounds!!
Alphamaxnova1 Williams
s🅱️inalla as title sponsor
More like 30 pounds
1:09 those 2 face's on the left say it all. 😳😳. R.I.P. a legendary British racing company . Thanks for the beautiful times. The Latifi family wil take it over after the bankruptcy
😂 yeah they were like "Ooooookaaaaaaay"
You can be right.This is very likely to happen because of the Loan deal.
Karun’s face is priceless!!😂🤣. Exactly how I felt when I was watching.
Heartbreaking. Paddy Lowe screwed them so badly, I feel they ripped them off. Williams is one of my favorite, even my race motorcycle is Martini-Williams themed.
Nothing lasts forever, and time waits for no one... The landscape of F1 has changed, and Williams (as we we've known it) is changing.
Like her parents before her, I'm sure Claire has given her best to the team.
My hat is off to Team Williams. Thank you.
Silver spoon kids, they're mostly clueless. They can't fathom what it takes to build what they're enjoying and buckle at the first sight of trouble. Get someone tenacious in there Claire! This team can be saved with the right people in charge.
Raymand Doks everyone in f1 is a silverspoonkid .. there are a very few ppl that really worked theyre way up in f1.
@@simonedeangelo757I see your point but Not everyone. Many technicians from the 60's up till now worked their arses off to get into F1.
Anyone with any decency, in her position, would recognise how bad they have been at the job for so many years, how they have brought the team to its knees, and resign. I fear there is no hope while Claire Williams stays involved.
Dont blame her this has been going on since the end of the 90's into the BMW era willams have been so stubbon and so unwillinging to partner up with a big name organization. 9 of the other teams have gone from being "independent" to now having the support of merc or ferrari or using big name investors to keep them in the sport. Williams has not budged even when BMW made them an offer to hold a stake in williams they refused. Williams needs to get of this 1980's mentality of we are independent and will always be independent it clearly doesnt work
@@hamishcounsell5579 shouldve let BMW buy them out who knows where theyd be
@@callumbishop1193 probs near the top even if merc had made willaims a defacto second team they to would probaly be near the top again as well like Toro Rosso i mean Torro rosso has had some excellent results for being the little red bull team
She been amazing
"Wanting to maintain our independence" was why Saab went bankrupt as well.
Saab wasn’t independent but a part of GM. GM was the one that pulled that trigger.
@@jantheunissen2986 Yes, and GM couldn't manage them because they were too independent. They kept doing things their own way instead of GM's way, so GM pulled the trigger.
goodbye to the best delivery in recent years. Also I still don't know why she is still in denial. The only way that Williams will do better on and off the track is by having a new GM, more focused on results, and less about a nostalgic feeling about her father's team.
Unfortunately I have to agree. She doesn't come across cut throat enough. At least she sacked Paddy Lowe who made a mare of the 2019 car. Previously signing two pay drivers at the same time is disasterous for providing feedback to the car.
I hope they get investors and the team continues under the same name.
Might be interesting to see if merc picks it up so it can double its budget cap
Another thing is that if merc take it over they have more aero testing too
@@adammee3283 would be good for merc . They could funnel a lot of investment though it . And just run last year's car .
Funky Monkey true man and it would actually be a competitive car aswell which would benefit the sport
That wouldn’t help the sport at all. Merc’s time is close to up. The sport needs new winners and more competitive balance.
That is illegal. Otherwise there is no reason that there are not 4 redbull cars.
She is totally unconvincing with her ‘this is a positive thing’ line at the beginning. The Williams name will disappear from F1 and she will never work in F1 again.
right?? i thought the same, she doesn't not look convinced AT ALL.
She's a clown
TheFilthyLiam I agree, but I hate to see Williams go away. I can’t believe that Claire stayed in control this long.
sad but true
Can someone get PDR some Airpods or anything at this point!! How many weeks now?
Hear hear!
It's common in society for children to get amazing jobs through their parents, especially in family businesses. Same in F1. And if you're good enough (ish) like a Lance Stroll you can just about get away with it. But if you aren't good enough in F1 (and few in this world are born with the ability of a Toto, a Horner, even a Gunter) then you get found out, just like Claire.
As an F1 fan, I wish Williams survive someway and sustain in future of F1, F1 without Williams is hard to imagine with the history they possess.
They needed to keep a manufacturer onboard with them. The days were good under Honda, Renault and BMW.
Seeing as how Renault needs a customer now, maybe they can work out a deal to help develop the team.
@@anydaynow01 Their engine deal with Mercedes has been extended until throughout the 2025 season. I don't see why they would accept a weaker PU, unless they manage to get a smiliar deal to the one they had with Toyota back in 2007/08.
@@freddy180180 I agree it would have to be one hell of a deal with Renault for them to swap, one where Renault helps to keep them on the grid with discounted parts and engines in exchange for shared telemetry and engineering feedback to help with power unit development and sport academy seats since Renault doesn't have a junior team (or a customer) like the other engine manufacturers do. Like you said they have an engine contact with Mercedes; but considering Racing Point (Austin Martin) is looking like it will get a lot of Mercedes support, they may well be the Mercedes junior team from here on out, so Williams may be out of luck on that front also.
anydaynow I agree, but I don't see how Racing Point would drop Perez.. Given his fairly consistent form throughout the 2nd half of the '18 season and 2019, outpacing Stroll as well as the amount of money his sponsors are providing.
@@freddy180180 That is true, they would have to find a spot for Russel.
When I buy William's first thing I do is firing Claire
she an asset
She drove the team into the ground.
She is pretty so I would keep her around still as Pr.
@@Proman476 She is an amazing PR and seems to be really good at politics (even her brother says so). PR and politics are key in F1, so from that point of view, a Williams that is a good PF and good for politics, is an asset for the team
Her knowledge of the team would be very valuable to new team owners
I don't see the William's name surviving. They will either go bankrupt or someone will buy them and change the name.
Nah they’ll go on
Surely yes. If Williams put up for sale, nothing will save this legendary name. It will be replaced in a year or two if not instantly.
It is a sad but often true story for the sport, like how many current fans know that Mercedes was actually Tyrell?
the Williams name means at least 10 millons a year from F1. changing the name would not be a good business decision
I think she's done an amazing job at the team over the years since 2013. Great that they want to keep the William's history ever present and remain as an independent team. But in some ways, this has had its down side, perhaps prevented the team from advancing in the sport, in recent seasons at least. Perhaps go through a complete restructure,
I still have my Williams Martini racing coat. I wore with pride in Texas 2015 and they got a decent result that day with Bottas and Massa both in top 5. It's been a bad decline over many years but will always love Frank and Claire. They are not a mega bucks team but they are great family team and an important part of British racing and a great team to follow and support through the good and bad. Hope they get things moving forward 🙏
If they were any case going to sell the team, they might have as well become a Mercedes B team when they had the opportunity
I love Williams. And hope that everything works out for the team.
0:30 She is the team Principal, not Principle.
wut
@@hamishcounsell5579 they're 2 different words.
@@erelpc oh well im big dumb dumb i guess ill go to kindergarten again
Isn’t sky sports a British media outlet?
U K yes they are but what does that matter it’s still principal
Selling an iconic F1 team shouldn’t been seen as anything other then positive? That’s the masterpiece of PR talk! Speechless faces of the guys asking questions in reaction to these words are priceless.
I'm not knowledgeable in F1 so excuse me if I'm wrong but didn't they just make a huge change regarding each team having a spending cap per year? Wouldn't this make and isn't this a huge advantage for a privately owned team like Williams?
To some extent. But the top teams are still going to win, and williams will still be at the back of the grid.
She needs to strive to be a team principal for any team, not just Williams which has realistically been given to her. If she can’t manage any other team, then she isn’t fit to lead Williams either.
?
Once she's out . She probably become a TV presenter
ryanpiyo she’s not team principal material, it’s that simple.
Nice to see Paul di Resta with a table and flowers in the background...feels so lonely looking at his empty apartment thinking he had enough money to buy a place in Monaco but not enough to furnish it.
Williams helped make F1 what it is most team's have winning and losing streaks yet only 4 have been in the battle from the 70's. Win or loose they are one of the greatest, it's a sad day when no Williams family members are in F1
Watching the Netflix series and they are standing around the car in the factory a few days before testing and they hadn't got the wheel nuts sorted, Claire just stood there looking gormless I thought there's no hope for them with such weak management. Toto would have ripped someone a new arse for that balls up
I thought exactly the same. She seemed lost.
The team has been on a downhill trajectory since the end of 1997 and modern F1 is very punishing for independent teams like Williams. It blows my mind how quick people are to accuse her of incompetence as if somehow restoring the team to the front of the grid was ever a realistic notion given the state of the sport.
Yes, if they’d sold the team years ago they’d not be in this position BUT they’d also not be Williams. If they can sell a minority stake in the company they can continue as Williams because at the end of the day, all that can be done is keep the team alive until F1 becomes more sustainable.
She must just swallow her pride and resign
yes but if they get through she will be a hero
Simply heartbreaking to watch. I LOVE how fiercely they’ve held on to the ‘privateer’ image in Formula 1, and how sweet the victories through the years seemed to feel in part due to that image. And it makes this news feel all the more tragic. There’s a lot about Claire that I admire, but the reality is unavoidable. The proverbial plane was piloted straight into the deck with her at the controls. I do really wish I could hear Sir Frank speak on this.
For the first minute or two I kept expecting one of the boys to ask “So, Claire... have you decided which of the rafters you’ll be hanging yourself from?” That was HARSH!
The downfall of Williams started way before Claire took over.
Their aero department lacked ingenuity since decades for instance. The problem in my opinion was that guys like Frank and Patrick Head were stuck in an late 80s early 90s mentality of how to lead the team which started to be problematic in the early 2000s. Add to this poor decision making over the last 25 years and it all boils down to what we can see now.
shi01 I agree with what you’re saying, but adding Claire to the end of that lot you describe wasn’t going to help. She is out of her depth. She talks like a HR manager, not a principal.
it always irks me when she refers to her dad as frank, idk why.
B Hew might have been a thing he did with his parents or a thing Frank made his kids do
# Mac well, normally children don’t use their parent’s names, they normally refer to them as mom or dad or some variation thereof
@# Mac no... Dad. How could you not understand that?!
@@thedj9553 indeed. And by the way, she always used to refer to him as Dad the change has only been in the last year or two 🙂
I 100% agree, I think it’s disrespectful.
She ran it to the ground. Gotta feel sorry for the shareholders. This is the reason why you should have qualified people running a company, not a child.
Bold and blunt
Yeah, daddy owns 51%
They should have offered more equity to the Toto-nator and let him run it when they had the chance.
I thought people would defend her lol
You have to respect Claire for always being upfront and tackling the most challenging questions and comments, some of which are crude and gritty. Very persistent and collected woman.
How ? What ??? Read more... Ralf schumacher has a great interview.. Monisha Kaltenborn is a better F1 woman..
As a long life williams "hater", i loved to be against them.
These days i miss this great enemy.
Its just sad....
Why did you hate them...?
@@Tom3294. Williams was a great team during the 80's and 90's. there was a big rivalry going on between WIlliams, Mclaren and Ferrari.
Life long hater? LMAO WTF
ADCF Productions Yeah I know who williams are mate, I didn’t ask that? Wtf?
Excuse my english. I couldn't find the right word. So i put i in "...."
I am german and was a Schumacher fanboy as a kid. So Williams and McLaren were the enemy.
Historically, Grandfather starts the company, Son builds the company, Grandson bankrupts the company.
In Williams case they skipped a generation
Hire Pay drivers check , treat drivers like sh*t check, no continuity and consistency check, go for the cheapest engine check, continue with the worst team principal on the grid check. No wonder they are last on the grid.
I doubt she would have been in the job this long if not for who she is.
Wow, do I ever hope that Claire and the Williams team come through this
Frank and ginny I love you thank you for the good times I've had with my dad watching my favourite team for over 40 years xx
Stop blaming everything for the situation Williams find themselves in. A great leader deals with every situation they're dealt with.
Indeed. Watching drive to survive she appeared way too nice and forgiving. When they lost those parts I imagine Toto, horner, Steiner etc absolutely losing it
The problem of Claire is to be so kind with the people on the team... The great leaders of F1 are ruthless
TOTO to the rescueeeeeeeeeeeeee
That would be very interesting. Toto leaves to rebuild Williams.
He needs a new challenge =]
Got to Love Claire ... she is definitely my secret crush. So passionate about the team ... We just want to see Williams back up fighting for podiums 💪🤞
Claire ( quite rightfully ) is going to big it up about Williams, and sing all the positives....... they are for sale..... you don`t put a negative spin on things if you want someone to buy your product..... It`s sad that it has come to this, but the writing has been on the wall for a few years now.... budgets got out of control..... this new limit has come too late to save Williams...... but I wish them success in the future as we don`t want to see the name disappear.
What a surprise, PDR asks a rediculous question to start it off. His career in F1 - Race wins: 0, podiums: 0. What a trusted source of insight you are!
Could you screen shot the comments to Claire?
They should have replace her and see how that works, way way before thinking about selling the team. It's a shame the she brought the team to the knees. Passion is not enough to lead an f1 team, and she has nothing in common with her father, rather than the name.
Don't think it would have made a difference especially when I don't think she's done anything particularly wrong. She picked the right power unit, hired good drivers, brought in a well known sponsor in martini and hired staff that were part of successful teams. What's held them back and why they sunk back to the bottom is money. I doubt Toto Wolff or Christian Horner would be able to do any better given the budget constraints Williams are under. Their running costs went up due to the expense of the hybrid engines so the other parts of the car performance were affected as a result. You can say force india did better with limited resources but they also ran out of money faster being in administration 2 years ago.
*other than.
How many have you led?
If/when the team is sold, I don't think the new owner will get rid of its name. Williams is a very common last name and they can simply say that the team has a new namesake.
Very interesting how this whole thing played out. Toto wanted out because he had the Mercedes opportunity, so in order to get out of Williams he needed a successor. Claire didnt want the job but toto said she could do it....when in reality he just needed someone to take his spot. Now it looks like hes coming back to them. He probably is getting his same shares for pennies on the dollar.
F1 needs Williams in F1 such a shame that they have not been up at the front really hope someone bungs them a big bag of cash and gets them back where they should be
“Williams are set to collapse. All because SHE wanted to play, team principal” 😂
seems that way to me.
Well the quote "they are the best fans in the world" is actually something British use quite often
So terribly sad! That was a huge mistake to put her head of this legendary team.
That is such a stupid remark! This is a big company with a board of directors that made the decision to old school produce their own parts, like they have done since they started, instead of buying them ready made from merc or ferrari like other teams do. That is a choice, not an easy option and takes courage to do so. You know nothing about Williams as a whole company, which is an engineering company.
It should be applauded that they wanted to remain an old school team instead of all the ferrari's and merc's that are now racing. These times i guess that is the only option that is left, sell ones principles.... because that is the cheapest and only option. Totally kills the sport, which used to be great because of all the engineering progress.
@@ilananl1004 I totally agree, it was commendable of them to stay true to the old formula for as long as they did, all on a comparatively shoe string budget while every team around them has major corporate funding and support in one form or another. Plus I'm guessing Frank's determination and legacy had a lot to do with the decision making on this matter. You said it best when it was the old way of doing things, now the rest of the field is based on trickle down drivers, parts, technology and cash from the top three teams. The days of the daring privateer building their own car are over.
It's interesting there wasn't such a vicious backlash against Peter Sauber when his team eventually went bust, or Ken Tyrell, or Jordan or the many other old teams which have come and gone, it was just their time to move on. Claire took the helm of a sinking ship plain and simple, and has been managing the crisis as well as anyone could considering their financial circumstances in comparison with other teams. Also, I still don't understand the full story behind what happened with Patty Lowe but he promised them a car, failed to deliver, and was sacked. That debacle set them back a couple seasons, but mob mentality just want's to poke the easy button instead of trying to understand the full situation.
I just hope they find a patron major manufacturer or works team to help keep them afloat and prosper. If Renaut wasn't against the ropes with problems of their own they would be the perfect partner. Maybe they can work out a deal where they prop each other up and share the costs involved in developing a car. Williams can get parts and power units at a discount in exchange for giving Renault development drivers actual F1 seat time. I would say Mercedes but it's really looking like Austin Martin will be their full on junior team.
@@anydaynow01 yes, i agree.
And we have indeed seen it with those other teams. Though a woman at the head is easy to blame and that is why people use it as an excuse to be so vicious, and personal. If you want to lay blame, blame the way the sport has been allowed to run. Blame the big money teams for only looking out for their own interests and FIA not looking at the bigger picture, not capable of making the desicions they start to make now. Too little too late.
It started to go south in 2007 when a lot of factory teams had to pull out and teams, like Williams lost major sponsors and have never recovered since.
Also i'm really worried about how long Renault can hold on too. Building an engine and supplying teams is an enormous undertaking as it is, and building an entire car and F1 team and business as engine manufacturer doesn't seem possible anymore, the way the financial side and regulations have evolved. Just the fact alone that Ferrari has a majority share because of some old outdated agreement that isn't fair or relevant anymore in the current situation.
I really hope this will change. And we don't have to wait until Renault and Honda can no longer maintain their F1 adventure.... and then what?
It makes me sad...
But am really glad to have races again in a few weeks, if all goes well.
35 years of F1 addiction is hard to beat!
I'll be thankful if and when we get to see them this year.
Enjoy the races everyone!
ilana NL .
Claire’s just stunning, doesn’t mean they aren’t good just means other teams got better! She hasn’t fucked up! Nobody fucks up if they had the guts to give something a go..
I will NEVER understand why Jonathan Williams didn’t get to be team principal when he clearly was the better alternative.
Claire is cool
Frank Williams put his heart and soul to this team for decades. Why did he put his daughter until its downfall.
Come on Bernie (I know you are technically out of F1) and the rest of the F1 world its time to support Claire and Frank, they have done so much for F1 in the UK. Lewis and Toto why dont you buy the team?
it is not only support, it is a really good business opportunity
With the whole Rokit thing, let this be a lesson to Williams and every team going forward, that when a company comes along wanting to buy sponsorship in your team, make sure you get the bloody money off them upfront. Had they made Rokit pay in full at the time they signed the deal to be the teams title sponsor, they would be in a better financial position now. Never let Sponsors drip feed you cash through a season or with a promise to pay you at the end of the season, because if they upsticks and depart you’ll be left with nothing.
FYI. Rokit paid the team in full and the termination of their contract was mutual.
@@gibospartan6185 no they did not they owe Williams 10 million and have paid nothing at all for 2020.
@@markwilliams5540 My bad. I misread a quote.
@@gibospartan6185 no worries 👍
Williams should sell their team's 50% stake to a car manufacturer.
Maybe get Toyota onboard, they have solid cash in hand.
Make it Toyota Williams... A joint effort.
Williams Toyota you mean , happened before but I’m not sure if they want to come to F1
Sorry but, Toyota allready pulled the plug after 7 years (2002-2009) of not achieving good results and wasting millions of dollars. Let alone winning a championship constructor.
And they allready enjoying themself competing and winning races even championship in WEC.
Same like Peugeot, and BMW. For now, they just not interested in returning to F1
@@alifm4098 Well, is there any reason they need to sink Millions into an LMP1 program? With many of the big long-time names out of the class, I'd say, why not? Especially with F1's focus on hybrid Power Units these past years.
@@jcchaconjr You gotta know F1 are much more expensive to run compared to WEC
Especialy since 2014 At the start of Hybrid era, Cost of researching, developing MGU-K, MGU-H etc.
Even if they decided to return to F1 now, They still need to start with decent to good results.
If they not scoring any good results let alone winning like in the past. They will be in trouble again.
@@jcchaconjr Even Toyota was one of the team with biggest funding in F1. Decided that, after 7 years not producing any wins or even close in winning. Enough is enough better focus on other things.
Send Gordon Ramsay to fix Williams. New Show F1 nightmares
This is sad but this was about to happen sooner than later. The same might happen to McLaren.
Williams fall from grace came after 1997 their denial to keep their champions and pay them what they deserve, Mansell, Hill and Villeneuve, their last champion.
Then problems with engines and competitiveness. After Patrick Head and Frank Williams departure, the team, once the most dominant in the sport in the 80s and 90s failed miserably to even reach the podium.
The same goes for McLaren their last competitive year was 2008 they should have won in 2007 but they threw it away. Now without Ron Dennis at the helm, it has deteriorated terribly. Ferrari, Mercedes and even newcomer Red Bull have made McLaren look like a second tier team.
Why is she still in denial??
gamechanger97: she's getting money with whatever outcome happens. her life won't be in shatters compared to those beneath her.
I don't want to bash Claire, I think she's a great person and actually probably a rather good manager in most situations, but Williams right now is not "most situations". Williams needs someone to stop downplaying what's happening and pretend everything is great when it's clearly just getting worse and worse.
Don't forget, she is a PR specialist...
Last of the privateers, hope they survive and keep the name, would hate to see another British team disappear. Good luck!
Had the chance to visit the team when using BMW engines and loved the classy navy and white livery. Great premises!
What does a privateer team mean ?
A privateer is a non big manufacturer team.
Seve Sellors is Red Bull/Racing Point considered as a privateer team ?
Igehay Nation yes in a way but all came from former teams so Williams remains the last although you could argue that McLaren are still there.
'Some of our fans ..'. Who on earth is currently still a fan from a team that is consistently at the back of the grid and manages to score 1 point in an entire season?
I really like Claire. I wish her nothing but success. You can tell that she is trying with all her might.
RJW do or do not, there is no try.
No idea why everyone hate Claire. She ain't so bad, I guess she handles stuff better than Guenther at least (yeah, Drive to Survive). Just a couple years ago they were competitive and now they are not, soon the tables will turn and they will be P4-5 again, that is just how life works. Ups and downs. I just hope they get through this.
You can't blame Claire Williams for the situation the team is now in. The problems, and a succession of poor choices, can probably be traced back to 1996 when Frank and Patrick decided not to allow Adrian Newey to have more influence in the team, so he left - which Frank Williams very much grew to regret. 20+ years ago was the beginning of the team's decline.
Nope.. Read outside the English media. Sky realy over protect her. Ralf Schumacher talk about is 1 year ago. Dutch media also. So have more ex drivers
Ber Hen errr, yes you can...she’s supposed to be in charge!
she is the best PR agent ever, she should work for all the banks and companies that go under water. But not a F1 team principle
So sad to see Williams in this state. I do genuinely feel sorry for Claire but the best she could do is step down and let someone else take over her position. Had it been any other team underperforming this badly, management would have found another team principal after the first bad season.
If anyone buys the team clearly the first thing they would do is to replace Claire
Claire your braking my ♥️ I can't believe what's happening 😱 I started watching F1 only because of Williams !!! Williams - David vs Goliath I was always pravd and happy for the team. Now it's just sad 😔
'same people putting the car on track' Welp there's your problem
thank gosh that they will still be williams
i was scared that they would be different
How will they turn the team around if they can't even face the reality that having to sell your family team is a horrible thing.
I'm hoping that Sir Frank is involved in the negotiations as Claire may be over her head. Maybe the buyer will be respectful of F1 and Williams history and their main goal will be to get them back to their former greatness. A new Principal could be a key first step.
I've wondered if Stroll might invest in a second team to put them on par with the other big boys who have a first tier team along with one for development. Its a stretch but these big money guys have big egos.
Williams are not selling the team out right. They are selling a share of the team.
Inept.
Williams should partner up with Ron Dennis. The two men combined could be great force!
How can Claire still continue to say that everything is awesome!? Objectively, if this was any other team, she'd be demolished by her peers and the media.
This is a massive failure on her as a leader and a nothing, but a result or poor decisions and weak management.
I hope someone buys the team, keeps the Williams name out of respect and get rid of the current crew holding the wheel.
She’s so fit
This is sad, would never happen under Frank and Patrick’s watch despite the changing times in F1
TheGschultz I heard that all Williams problems where not Williams, when with BMW they acknowledge that they have problems but Williams love to pretend. They see problems only outside not within.
I feel sorry for people believing her crap
Frank and Patrick failed to recognize how crucial Adrian Newey was to the team, and following his departure at the end of the '96 season, Williams were never a major force again. If Frank had made Newey a partner (as he did Patrick Head), I believe Williams would have remained competitive, and could be in a similar position to Red Bull today. That said, it is a rare exception for a non-factory team to prosper in Formula 1 now.
Claire. You need to be realistic when you go into negotiations. Williams is where it is and you should not struggle on. As we are facing a strong recession now, any investor may insist on onerous terms or a low sale price & they will want to see what has been done & future potential, however small that may be. Plug the Williams name as much as you can because that’s where the goodwill in the business is bound up - in the heritage and insist the name is kept. You need to hire a shrewd operator to talent spot up and coming drivers & potential lucrative marketing opportunities (merchandise etc) and another person who is an expert in turnaround situations for the accounting. It’s not too late to do this. Whatever you do, don’t dither or delay any more as that will make matters worse. Remember this. This situation is not a reflection on you as a person or your considerable abilities as it can happen to any firm in any industry right now. It’s just business. Very best of luck.
Nico Rosberg: is Williams career is over
Shoulda let the brother lead the team
SSSssst I think sky is not allowed to ask questions about it..
Fans wants to directly talk to Claire.we just can't see Williams in such condition 😭😭😭