Frank Williams sells up

[jonwat]

Sad news BBC ☹

[jep]

Wistful news. They could have folded, good news they live on to fight another day unlike Tyrell and many others before.

Justin 

[DarrylV8]

Including Lotus 

[jep]

Of course!

I think part of the reason Williams have found a buyer is they do have an income stream beyond F1. 

Team Lotus perhaps a bit more complicated than say Tyrell, as Team Lotus was not quite a stand alone outfit. And the name was jointly associated with Lotus road cars, so anyone trying to save Team Lotus was either going to have to buy Group Lotus or change the Team name (pointless) or be promoting the Lotus name but not getting the business upside of doing so. I'll ignore Enstone era! 

Justin  

[Neal H]

The Italian GP will be the last with a Williams family member in charge. Claire Williams is stepping down as team boss.

”After 43 years and 739 Grand Prix, the family is set to leave the sport following the recent change in ownership to Dorilton Capital”

Very sad day 😢

[Snoopy1969]

indeed, sad day, further proof that F1 is another step faaaaaar beyond the "old times" that (for me, personal taste of course) stand for suspense and "real" racing............(not for pseudo political correct "behaviour" and cars driving around as some sort of a advertising campaign....)

[Neal H]

Yes, very much the last of the old school independents that I grew up watching and loving - Lotus, Williams, Brabham, Ligier, Tyrell, even McLaren while it was owned and run by Ron Dennis. Racers who did it for the love of it, rather than the conglomerates using it as a marketing activity.

It’ll be interesting to see what Dorilton have in store for Williams, I doubt they acquired it because of their love of motorsport and desire to just go racing.

Racing Point is probably the nearest to the ‘good old days’ now. Independently owned and exists to go racing. Haas maybe, Sauber as well but they’ll probably be acquired by Ferrari in due course as their b-team.

[jep]

Tracing Point I think they call them now, as that is how they design their cars these days based on last years Merc.

Sauber is now Alfa Romeo, so the Fiat Group have that one sewn up.

I fear Haas are also 'assisted' by Ferrari. 

Mind you, was it not ever thus? You used to buy a chassis from someone, buy an engine and go racing. Your set-up and driver made the difference. Very few in the early days actually designed or built that much of the car.

Aero and reliability have rather made that way of doing things to not work. I am not sure Graham Hill would have won two championships if it were not for mechanical failures of others. No criticism of Hill, just the cards could fall another way in the days of regular failures of others cars.

Justin