“This long-term agreement with Mercedes is a positive step and forms part of our strategic objectives for the future whilst we will still retain our design and manufacturing capabilities in-house.”
From 2022, a wealth of changes designed to cut costs and improve competition between teams will come into effect, including more standardised parts. As part of these changes, gearbox design will now be frozen to lessen research and development spending.
Since finishing third in the constructors’ championship in the first hybrid season in 2014, Williams has gradually slipped to the back of the field but fresh investment from Dorilton Capital has injected funding into the team in the hopes of climbing back up the grid.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said that the expanded agreement with Williams made sense under the new rules.
“We are pleased to expand our technical cooperation with Williams through this new agreement,” Wolff said.
“For Williams, it makes sense to acquire the integrated powertrain after running our power units since 2014 and for our team, it makes sense in terms of economies of scale to supply another team under the new rules.
“This is a project we have been discussing with Williams for some time and I am glad we have been able to bring this extension to fruition.”