The Williams Formula 1 team will continue to use Mercedes Benz engines until, at least, the end of the 2025 season.
The Williams team have announced that they have signed a long term extension to their existing agreement that will see Mercedes continue to supply power units for their cars until the end of 2025.
Having initially signed a deal over the winter of 2013 for the start of the current hybrid era, this extension will see Williams supplied with Mercedes-Benz power units for a further five years, having been initially signed up until the end of 2020. The supply deal will consist of the Internal Combustion Engine and associated Energy Recovery Systems, ie. MGU-H, MGU-K, battery etc. Williams have decided that they will continue making their own transmission system, not using Mercedes’ supply unlike fellow Mercedes customer Racing Point.
“We have enjoyed a wonderful partnership with Mercedes-Benz over the past six years of what was originally a seven-year agreement, and so we are delighted to be continuing working with them for a further five years from 2021.” said Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams. “Mercedes-Benz has been one of the sport’s most successful engine suppliers and we believe that they will continue to have an extremely competitive engine package going forwards. Over our time with them they have become a real friend of the team, and we look forward to working with Mercedes-AMG HPP in future.”
CEO of Mercedes Motorsport Toto Wolff said: “Williams is one of the iconic brands in Formula One and we at Mercedes are proud to count them as part of our motorsport family. They have been through some tough times recently but that has only served to demonstrate their resilience and strength of character as they battle back to where they belong on the grid. I am certain that the outlook for independent teams is bright under the financial regulations that will be introduced from 2021 and we are delighted to continue our partnership with Williams into that new era of our sport.”
Williams, who this week released their interim financial figures for 2019, have suffered financial losses on the F1 side of their operations as they have fallen to the very back of the field. However, the team are aiming to bounce back from their recent years of trouble, with the Mercedes agreement yielding quite a bit of success at the start of their partnership when Williams finished P3 in the championship in 2014 and 2015.
The links between Mercedes and Williams now go back a decade, with Toto Wolff becoming a shareholder of Williams in 2009 and rising to become executive director before switching to Mercedes in 2013. Between 2012 and 2016, Wolff sold his shares of Williams entirely.
