Williams

- Published on Dec 7th, 2010 by The Badger

Frank Williams first entered Formula One under the Frank Williams Racing Cars moniker in 1969, enjoying a successful debut season with British racer Piers Courage. However that early promise was halted by Courage's death at the Dutch Grand Prix of 1970. The team never reached the heights they had with Piers at the wheel again and by 1976 Walter Wolf had assumed ownership of the squad.

Undaunted, Frank returned, now teamed with engineer Patrick Head, to contest the 1977 season. The addition of Alan Jones for the 1978 season proved a huge fillip, with the Aussie taking four late season wins in '79 to end the campaign third in the standings. He followed that up with the world championship in 1980, a feat equalled by Keke Rosberg in 1982. By the mid-eighties the team had paired Brit Nigel Mansell with Brazilian Nelson Piquet, the latter taking title glory in 1987. During the decade also took four constructors' crowns.

The period of dominance really began with the FW14. The fastest car on the 1991 grid, the car failed to deliver the returning Mansell's maiden world title, primarily due to reliability issues, but would lay the foundations for a period of great success. Mansell final became champion in 1992, winning nine. races in a dominant campaign. Alain Prost replaced him for 1993 and duly claimed his fourth world title, team-mate Damon Hill finishing as runner-up.

1994 was a dark year for Williams with Ayrton Senna, the man most fel would continue the team's title winning running, perishing at the San Marino Grand Prix. Hill led a valiuant revival, only missing out on the title to Michael Schumacher following a controversial collision at the season closer.

The following year saw Benetton driver Schumacher take a more comofortable title, but in '96 Williams were back on top with Hill beating rookie team-mate Jacques Villeneuve to the championship. The French-Canadian then took the crown himself in '97, beating Schumacher the season finale. Again German collided with the Williams but this time it was the Grove-based team's car that came off best.

But whilst Schumacher would go on to claim five more world titles at Ferrari Williams are yet to follow up JV's 1997 championship success. The departure of Renault at the close of that season left them lagging for '98 and '99 and it would be a further three years before they won another grand prix.

After two years without major manufacturer backing Williams quickly returned to the status of big hitters by linking up with German engine builders BMW. The partnership bore success from the beginning, with the pairing of Ralf Schumacher and rookie Brit Jenson Button helping the team to third in the constructors' standings. Prodigious Colombian talent Juan Pablo Montoya replaced Button in 2001 and things improved further, with four wins for Williams over the course of the season. The next step was a return to title-winning form.

But, despite strong showings in 2003 and '04, in which Williams finished second to Ferrari in the standings, the breakthrough never came. 2005 was a difficult campaign, with no wins until Montoya triumphed at the season-closing Brazilian event. He and Schumacher both left the team after that race, whilst BMW began to get itchy feet.

Since Montoya's win at Interlagos Williams have not returned to the top step of the podium. And, in honesty, they've never looked like doing so, despite watching a number of very talented drivers sit in their cars. Mark Webber, Nick Heidfeld and Nico Rosberg have all driven for them since 2005 but none was able to compete at the sharp end for Sir Frank's team. BMW departed at the conclusion of '05, leaving Williams to pick up customer Cosworth power. 2006 would prove to be a disaster, with eighth in the constructors representing their worst campaign since 1978.

2007 brought Toyota power and improved results, with Alex Wurz scoring a podium in Canada that year and Nico Rosberg registering two rostrum finishes the following year. The young German was growing in to a real talent, but his departure at the end of 2009 meant another re-birth was required. The team went back to Cosworth engines, hired veteran Rubens Barrichello and promising rookie Nico Hulkenberg and enjoyed a solid campaign, the German scoring pole in Brazil. However money remains tight at the now-privateer squad and he was dropped in favour of well funded Pastor Maldonado for 2011.