Williams appoint Symonds, Coughlan leaves
Williams F1 have announced the appointment of Pat Symonds at Chief Technical Officer, replacing Mike Coughlan who leaves the team with immediate effect. Effective 19th August, Symonds joins Williams from the Marussia F1 Team where he held the position of Technical Consultant.
Symonds’ 30 year Formula One career has seen him achieve success with some of the sport’s most accomplished teams and drivers. Having started his career at Toleman, it was with Benetton and subsequently Renault that he achieved extraordinary success. His partnerships with Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso produced 32 race wins, four Drivers’ World Championships and three Constructors’ World Championships. Since 2009, he has run his own high technology and motorsports consultancy in addition to acting as a Technical Consultant to the Marussia F1 Team. Pat Symonds and Marussia have reached an agreement for Pat to relinquish his responsibilities to the Team with immediate effect, allowing him to move on.
Mike Coughlan on the other hand has stepped down from his position as Technical Director and will leave the team with immediate effect. The team thanks him for the significant contribution he has made since 2011 and wishes him well in his future endeavours.
Speaking about the appointment, Williams F1 Team Founder and Team Principal Sir Frank Williams said: “I’m delighted that Pat is joining the team. His technical capabilities and sporting successes speak for themselves and I’m sure that his knowledge and leadership will contribute considerably to the success that all of us at Williams are working hard to achieve.”
Mike O’Driscoll, Group Chief Executive Officer said: “Williams’ sporting and engineering heritage dictates that we secure the finest talent available. Pat brings unrivalled technical and managerial skills in addition to a proven ability to deliver on track results. Our commitment to return Williams to winning ways is absolute and this appointment is yet more evidence of our collective desire to return the team to the position it deserves.”
John Booth, Team Principal, Marussia F1 Team: “For the Marussia F1 Team, each new season has seen a significant step change in terms of our growth and development at every level of the operation. The extent to which we have progressed was particularly evident as we embarked on the 2013 season, when our performance demonstrated just how much we have matured from a technical point of view. We have some very talented design and engineering groups in place who have achieved great things over the past few seasons and who are excited about maintaining our current positive trajectory, boosted of course by our new powertrain partnership with Scuderia Ferrari. We would like to thank Pat for the contribution he has made to the development of that structure. We look forward to announcing plans for our continued growth when it is appropriate to do so.”
Pat Symonds said: “Williams is a team steeped in success and engineering excellence and I’m honoured to be asked to play a role in returning the team to its rightful place at the pinnacle of Formula One. Sir Frank, Mike and Claire have put in place the foundations for success and I’m immensely excited to begin this new challenge.”
