Frank Williams
Discussion
I asked in GG the other day, but no one replied so I thought I'd try here.
How come he's never seen on the TV anymore? A while back he used to be interviewed at every race. Then he seemed to vanish, not just from interviews, you never see him in the background on tv coverage or anything. I didn't even know that he attended races anymore until a photo of him at Monaco was posted in GG.
I was talking to a friend about it last night and we were speculating. The 3 theories we came up with (pure conjecture and probably don't fit the facts at all) are:
1) (My friend's theory) He only likes to show his face when he's winning and doesn't want to talk to the media when he's thought of a as a mid-field team. I don't buy this because I'm sure he was still in the public eye during McLaren's dominant period with Senna.
2) (My theory) He seemed, from my recollection to have vanished around '94. There was the media circus surrounding Senna's death with lots of folk seeming to blame him/his team/car for Senna's death, trying to take him to court and things. This pissed him off and he turned his back on the media that were so quick to turn on him and hoold him responsible for Senna's accident.
3) Something to do with the switch to ITV coverage.
4) He's not directly involved with the running of the team anymore.
Anyone know?
How come he's never seen on the TV anymore? A while back he used to be interviewed at every race. Then he seemed to vanish, not just from interviews, you never see him in the background on tv coverage or anything. I didn't even know that he attended races anymore until a photo of him at Monaco was posted in GG.
I was talking to a friend about it last night and we were speculating. The 3 theories we came up with (pure conjecture and probably don't fit the facts at all) are:
1) (My friend's theory) He only likes to show his face when he's winning and doesn't want to talk to the media when he's thought of a as a mid-field team. I don't buy this because I'm sure he was still in the public eye during McLaren's dominant period with Senna.
2) (My theory) He seemed, from my recollection to have vanished around '94. There was the media circus surrounding Senna's death with lots of folk seeming to blame him/his team/car for Senna's death, trying to take him to court and things. This pissed him off and he turned his back on the media that were so quick to turn on him and hoold him responsible for Senna's accident.
3) Something to do with the switch to ITV coverage.
4) He's not directly involved with the running of the team anymore.
Anyone know?
They've said hello to him a few times on ITV when he's been watching in England - I guess that getting about to all the races is going to take it's toll after a while, especially since it's structured to cope without his immediate presence. I'd also wonder if Patrick Head does a lot of the work he used to, since the restructure a couple of years ago.
Edited by kevin ritson on Friday 2nd June 14:01
Would have thought it was more to do with his condition.
I watched a programme on him a few years ago, and I must admit I hadn't appreciated (till then) that he is in a lot of pain all the time (partly explains why he's so "direct" with people). Ergo, it wouldn't surprise me if his condition had worsened, and whether he has handed more control over to Patrick Head for day-to-day running of the team.
I watched a programme on him a few years ago, and I must admit I hadn't appreciated (till then) that he is in a lot of pain all the time (partly explains why he's so "direct" with people). Ergo, it wouldn't surprise me if his condition had worsened, and whether he has handed more control over to Patrick Head for day-to-day running of the team.
You've got to remember that he's been on painkillers for twenty years - to have lasted as long as he has, and been as successful as he has is testament to the man. It's no surprise that he has taken a back seat, but on the subject of Patrick Head, I thought he had also taken things a bit easier??? IIRC, he got married a few years ago and now commutes to the HQ daily, as opposed to virtually living there, as in the past.
Since the departure of Newey they haven't really got their act together, and I seem to remember a bit on ITV about the majority of the day-to-day running of Williams being in the hands of Sam Michael.
Since the departure of Newey they haven't really got their act together, and I seem to remember a bit on ITV about the majority of the day-to-day running of Williams being in the hands of Sam Michael.
It's nothing that conspiratorial. He is still closely involved in running the team, at least back at base. He just realised three or four years back that it was becoming hard work, and started skipping races.
With the increase in personnel at the team and the reorganisation of responsibilities, Patrick Head can deputise on many things (eg Bernie type stuff) on race weekends. I would expect FW to be at Silverstone.
With the increase in personnel at the team and the reorganisation of responsibilities, Patrick Head can deputise on many things (eg Bernie type stuff) on race weekends. I would expect FW to be at Silverstone.
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