Frank Williams Retires as a Director
Discussion
I see that on the BBC Text feed on the F1 testing it states that Frank Williams is stepping down from the Board of the Williams Grand Prix Engineering. He turns 70 next month.
Its incredible given his disability how well he has managed to run the team and do so well. Also he's done well to make this announcement with no speculation in the press. He will apparently retain his shareholding.
Edited so it makes slightly more sense!
Its incredible given his disability how well he has managed to run the team and do so well. Also he's done well to make this announcement with no speculation in the press. He will apparently retain his shareholding.
Edited so it makes slightly more sense!
Edited by Chrisgr31 on Friday 2nd March 11:29
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/97786
Autosport said:
The Williams team has announced Frank Williams is to step down from the board, with his daughter Claire joining from next month.
Williams made it clear, however, that he will continue to be team principal for the squad that bears his name.
But he said it is time for him to start the process of handing over the reins of the team since he will turn 70 next month.
"This is an opportune moment for me to consider my own role in the team," he said. "I turn 70 in April and I have 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.
"This is not as dramatic a move as it may appear: I shall continue to work full-time as Team Principal and I shall continue to attend all Board meetings as observer. I also remain the majority shareholder of Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC."
Williams co-founder Patrick Head left the board at the end of last year.
The team also announced that Claire Williams will join its board from 1 April as director of marketing and communications.
The position became available following the decision of Dominic Reilly to leave the company at the end of March.
"It is no secret that Claire is my daughter but I am proud to say that she has fought hard to earn this appointment and of all the battles she has had to fight, the prejudices of her father were not the least challenging," said Frank Williams.
"Dominic Reilly has proven a unique talent in the field of sports marketing and filling the gap he leaves was daunting. But I have come to the view that Claire, with her profound love and knowledge of the sport and the team, can do so and I am proud and delighted that the Board has given her this opportunity."
Williams chairman Adam Parr added: "Claire has worked at Williams for 10 years, taking on increasingly demanding positions and demonstrating throughout all of the qualities needed in this critical role. The Board concluded that Claire's appointment would further strengthen its quality, diversity and effectiveness."
Frank Williams said last week that he saw Parr as his natural successor.
Williams made it clear, however, that he will continue to be team principal for the squad that bears his name.
But he said it is time for him to start the process of handing over the reins of the team since he will turn 70 next month.
"This is an opportune moment for me to consider my own role in the team," he said. "I turn 70 in April and I have 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.
"This is not as dramatic a move as it may appear: I shall continue to work full-time as Team Principal and I shall continue to attend all Board meetings as observer. I also remain the majority shareholder of Williams Grand Prix Holdings PLC."
Williams co-founder Patrick Head left the board at the end of last year.
The team also announced that Claire Williams will join its board from 1 April as director of marketing and communications.
The position became available following the decision of Dominic Reilly to leave the company at the end of March.
"It is no secret that Claire is my daughter but I am proud to say that she has fought hard to earn this appointment and of all the battles she has had to fight, the prejudices of her father were not the least challenging," said Frank Williams.
"Dominic Reilly has proven a unique talent in the field of sports marketing and filling the gap he leaves was daunting. But I have come to the view that Claire, with her profound love and knowledge of the sport and the team, can do so and I am proud and delighted that the Board has given her this opportunity."
Williams chairman Adam Parr added: "Claire has worked at Williams for 10 years, taking on increasingly demanding positions and demonstrating throughout all of the qualities needed in this critical role. The Board concluded that Claire's appointment would further strengthen its quality, diversity and effectiveness."
Frank Williams said last week that he saw Parr as his natural successor.
28jaguar said:
Certainly the end of an era. The part about Frank I like the most is that he actually likes motorsport! I can't say I've had the same impression of other team owners/manager, or as strong an impression, even including Ron Dennis.
You got to be kidding right? Ron Dennis eats, sleeps and breathes Mclaren- and that pivots around the F1 side.
He only stepped aside to stop Max targeting his team even more.
Deserves to be a Sir imho- put lets not detract from SFW.
HF
Henry Fiddleton said:
28jaguar said:
Certainly the end of an era. The part about Frank I like the most is that he actually likes motorsport! I can't say I've had the same impression of other team owners/manager, or as strong an impression, even including Ron Dennis.
You got to be kidding right? Ron Dennis eats, sleeps and breathes Mclaren- and that pivots around the F1 side.
He only stepped aside to stop Max targeting his team even more.
Deserves to be a Sir imho- put lets not detract from SFW.
HF
rubystone said:
Agreed totally
Same here.As for SFW - Sad to say I think that he should have retired a while ago, and it is likely he would have if the team had been in better shape.
Let us just hope that it does not go the way of so many other former greats like Brabham, Tyrrell, etc.
This news worthy isn't it? I mean it's a motoring website and its Sir Frank Williams, a Motorsport luminary of the highest order (literally).
What's more, someone at the same company who owns this site has gone to some trouble to write extensively about it. Expect some sort special edition in print next week. Yet that same effort won't be simply emailed across and reproduced here, because PH is free which would rather piss on the autosport online subscription business model. Which is why we're left with mainly churnalism. So I've answered my own question, posed on another thread.
Tricky balance to find for Haymarket. Perhaps a timely reminder that you really don't get something for nothing.
What's more, someone at the same company who owns this site has gone to some trouble to write extensively about it. Expect some sort special edition in print next week. Yet that same effort won't be simply emailed across and reproduced here, because PH is free which would rather piss on the autosport online subscription business model. Which is why we're left with mainly churnalism. So I've answered my own question, posed on another thread.
Tricky balance to find for Haymarket. Perhaps a timely reminder that you really don't get something for nothing.
Henry Fiddleton said:
You got to be kidding right?
Ron Dennis eats, sleeps and breathes Mclaren- and that pivots around the F1 side.
He only stepped aside to stop Max targeting his team even more.
Deserves to be a Sir imho- put lets not detract from SFW.
HF
Don't get your knickers in a knot about my comment, Bud. I'm aware of Ron contribution to motorsport, specifically F1. To clarify what I'm saying (hopefully), is that if Frank didn't have it in him to participate in F1 at any level, he'd still have motorsport as a part of his life, be it as an amateur competitor, club admin or as a flag marshall, he'd be in something. I have never doubted Frank's passion for motorsport.Ron Dennis eats, sleeps and breathes Mclaren- and that pivots around the F1 side.
He only stepped aside to stop Max targeting his team even more.
Deserves to be a Sir imho- put lets not detract from SFW.
HF
With Ron, if he did not succeed in running an F1 team, would he even be involved in motorsport? When asking this question, you have to make the distinction between "motorsport" and "F1". For mine, I just get the impression that F1 is an outlet for Ron to show what he can do as a leader/manager and he he wasn't succeeding in F1, he'd be in another industry. I am aware he was a mechanic at Brabham, which made me stop and think for a little while, because I could never imagine him being so grass roots.
If we also use Flavio Briatore as a comparison. Flavio couldn't care less about motor racing, but, he likes being part of the F1 scene and being a player within it. Frank would be the opposite of Flavio and Ron would be somewhere in between, but not necessarily right next to Frank.
I'm not saying Ron's bad or anything, I'm just not conviced he's an out and out racing nut. If you've got anything about him I'm not aware of that gives me some insight about Ron, please, go ahead and let me know. Just saying, not a troll.
Not sure what the last poster is trying to say....almost as if he's composed the post whilst also reading up about Ron Dennis...."oh, let's slag him off...s
t...I see that actually most photos of black jack feature a lanky bloke with a receding hairline....maybe I better modify my comments...." 
Basically, RD and FW are both racers through and through. They respect each other and you will never hear Ron say a bad word about Frank. as to empirical evidence about who is the biggest f1 fan of the two....I have never met FW...but having met RD, I can tell you that he lives and breathes F1 even when there's a 30 something blonde and a decent Barolo in front of him
t...I see that actually most photos of black jack feature a lanky bloke with a receding hairline....maybe I better modify my comments...." Basically, RD and FW are both racers through and through. They respect each other and you will never hear Ron say a bad word about Frank. as to empirical evidence about who is the biggest f1 fan of the two....I have never met FW...but having met RD, I can tell you that he lives and breathes F1 even when there's a 30 something blonde and a decent Barolo in front of him
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