The Williams revolution is complete: in August 2020 the F1 team had stopped having economic problems thanks to the transfer of ownership to Dorilton Capital, a large investment fund. Now Fortescue: the company owned by mr. Forrest the richest man in Australia – and the fourth largest iron ore producer in the world – bought Williams Advanced Engineering, which specializes in hybrid and electric power units, for $ 222 million. Forrest, which has an estimated net worth of over $ 18 billion, continues the race in sustainable energy projects and now – under the agreement – Oxfordshire-based Williams Advanced Engineering (Wae) will be integrated into the energy unit. cleaning of the Fortescue to realize WAE’s battery technology to power its freight trains, heavy industrial equipment and trucks.
Wae is a world-leading technology and engineering company and was founded in 2010 by the Williams F1 team to develop low-carbon technology for vehicles. A tactical move wanted by the brilliant Frank Williams, who recently passed away, who once again proved to have great intuition.
Today Frank would be happy with this turnaround because, as happened for F1 – where the new owner left the name “Williams” to the team and the headquarters in Grove, England – this time the Williams brand will have its own continuity.
Thus ends the journey started years ago because Williams had long been looking for a solution that could bring the team back to the top of F1 – without however distorting the brand image – and give new strength to the Williams Advanced Engineering section. An impossible thing without heavy investments which instead now guarantee the “creature of Frank” the possibility of remaining at the top of the world in the automotive electrification sector.