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Williams have announced a deal with AT&T as title sponser! They previously sponsered Mclaren.

AT&T have big bucks and with Toyota engines I just wonder if Mark Webber has bailed out at just the wrong moment

I think I will back Newey and Renault engines.

Thanks Snowy,

To add, here is what Sir Frank Williams said of the deal:

It is a great privilege for WilliamsF1 to be an ambassador for a brand of the global size, scale and reputation of AT&T. It is our firm commitment to represent their interests to the very best of our ability on the race track and assist with the communication of their service offer that we, too, will have the significant benefit of being able to utilise.

Williams have to build a quick and reliable car again. It has been a while since they've managed to do that. Last year Williams finished 5th and Sauber were 8th. This year with BMW Sauber may finish 5th and Williams are almost certain to finish 8th!

As for Mark Webber, I think it is better for him to move as it appears that he was fed up with an unreliable car this year. Next year he will be driving an Adrian Newey designed car on either Ferrari or Renault power.

The Williams was quite quick at the beginning of the season and on Fridays it was right up there. I suspect the reliability was a Cosworth issue IMHO the chassis was pretty sound and when the car wasn't imploding in a number of races both drivers were making headway.

I think Mark has made the right move actually but one can't help speculating

Snowy wrote:The Williams was quite quick at the beginning of the season and on Fridays it was right up there. I suspect the reliability was a Cosworth issue IMHO the chassis was pretty sound and when the car wasn't imploding in a number of races both drivers were making headway.

I think Mark has made the right move actually but one can't help speculating

Did MW actually have any choice ? Wasn't there a $ problem with SF.....(as usual )?

Not sure Julian if you've come across an article in the SMH where Mark Webber says that Flavio Briatore was very keen for him to move to Red Bull this year. So perhaps Webber didn't want to stay at Williams regardless of the $$.

Webber goes on to say:

I think it's fairly safe to say that I won't be looking back at my two years with Williams with any fond memories,"

"When I signed with the team, I was hoping to stay at Williams for a long, long time but it wasn't to be.

"Frank (Williams) will probably look back at me and think it wasn't successful either."

It seems parting ways was mutual!

The full article can be found here

Snowy wrote:The Williams was quite quick at the beginning of the season and on Fridays it was right up there. I suspect the reliability was a Cosworth issue IMHO the chassis was pretty sound and when the car wasn't imploding in a number of races both drivers were making headway.

I think Mark has made the right move actually but one can't help speculating

It is true that the Williams was reasonably quick early on but I suspect the reliability issues significantly slowed down their performance development.
I don't think there were more than 2 engine failures for Williams this season. The rest where either mechanical failures (hydraulics, transmission, etc ...) or accidents.

Ed wrote:Not sure Julian if you've come across an article in the SMH where Mark Webber says that Flavio Briatore was very keen for him to move to Red Bull this year. So perhaps Webber didn't want to stay at Williams regardless of the $$.

Webber goes on to say:

I think it's fairly safe to say that I won't be looking back at my two years with Williams with any fond memories,"

"When I signed with the team, I was hoping to stay at Williams for a long, long time but it wasn't to be.

"Frank (Williams) will probably look back at me and think it wasn't successful either."

It seems parting ways was mutual!

The full article can be found here

Thanks Ed, saw that.....I think Mark was not going to ignore Bratore's advice a second time

Julian Mayo wrote:

Ed wrote:Not sure Julian if you've come across an article in the SMH where Mark Webber says that Flavio Briatore was very keen for him to move to Red Bull this year. So perhaps Webber didn't want to stay at Williams regardless of the $$.

Webber goes on to say:

I think it's fairly safe to say that I won't be looking back at my two years with Williams with any fond memories,"

"When I signed with the team, I was hoping to stay at Williams for a long, long time but it wasn't to be.

"Frank (Williams) will probably look back at me and think it wasn't successful either."

It seems parting ways was mutual!

The full article can be found here

Thanks Ed, saw that.....I think Mark was not going to ignore Bratore's advice a second time

Having gone against his advice once and we all know how that ended up for him.. I am sure he was very happy to go with Flavio's plan. It will be interesting to see what Adrian Newey can do next year. He has certainly been a fantatic designer in the past.

Ed wrote: It is true that the Williams was reasonably quick early on but I suspect the reliability issues significantly slowed down their performance development.
I don't think there were more than 2 engine failures for Williams this season. The rest where either mechanical failures (hydraulics, transmission, etc ...) or accidents.

In that case I take back everything I said and instead pose the question: Why does Williams keep on screwing outstanding drivers?
The list is quite long: Nigel, Alain, Damon, Jacques, Alex, Mark Keke ought to have a word with Nico pretty soon.

Ed wrote: I don't think there were more than 2 engine failures for Williams this season. The rest where either mechanical failures (hydraulics, transmission, etc ...) or accidents.

or accidents caused by mechanical failures.....

<T-K> wrote:

Ed wrote: I don't think there were more than 2 engine failures for Williams this season. The rest where either mechanical failures (hydraulics, transmission, etc ...) or accidents.

or accidents caused by mechanical failures.....

You mean those big accidents that are caused by mechanical failures that were caused initially by smaller accidents

Ed wrote:

<T-K> wrote:

Ed wrote: I don't think there were more than 2 engine failures for Williams this season. The rest where either mechanical failures (hydraulics, transmission, etc ...) or accidents.

or accidents caused by mechanical failures.....

You mean those big accidents that are caused by mechanical failures that were caused initially by smaller accidents

Those ones exactly

<T-K> wrote:

Ed wrote:

<T-K> wrote:

or accidents caused by mechanical failures.....

You mean those big accidents that are caused by mechanical failures that were caused initially by smaller accidents

Those ones exactly

Meow

Snowy wrote:

Ed wrote: It is true that the Williams was reasonably quick early on but I suspect the reliability issues significantly slowed down their performance development.
I don't think there were more than 2 engine failures for Williams this season. The rest where either mechanical failures (hydraulics, transmission, etc ...) or accidents.

In that case I take back everything I said and instead pose the question: Why does Williams keep on screwing outstanding drivers?
The list is quite long: Nigel, Alain, Damon, Jacques, Alex, Mark Keke ought to have a word with Nico pretty soon.

Good question. However I think it has been asked on many occasion and so far no one has come up with a reason.