Things to know about Williams' special 2002-inspired livery
Williams have unveiled a one-off 2002-inspired throwback livery that will adorn Carlos Sainz and Alexander Albon's car at this weekend’s United States GP.
The one-off special design was unveiled by Carlos Sainz and the Co-founder of Williams title sponsor, Atlassian Mike Cannon-Brookes and 2002 Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya.
The British outfit stated that the reason for the throwback livery is that it wanted to commemorate "the year Atlassian was founded and showcases the shared histories and values of two teamwork powerhouses."
"The livery is a visual representation of how both Williams and Atlassian have survived and thrived in the face of relentless change since 2002 through harnessing the power of teamwork – and how both are determined to return the team to glory by pushing forward, together."
Co-founders Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar launched Atlassian with an idea and a $10,000 credit card debt, growing the company into the world’s leading provider of collaboration software used by more than 300,000 customers across the globe through relentless innovation and determination.
Williams was similarly founded by the legendary Sir Frank Williams and Sir Patrick Head in 1977, battling early financial challenges to become one of the top-three most successful F1 teams of all time with 114 wins, nine Constructors’ World Championships and seven Drivers’ World Championships.
The two organisations joined forces at the start of the year, with Atlassian having become Williams' title sponsor.
The Grove-based squad is using Atlassian’s products and System of Work, a deliberate approach to teamwork that "emphasises connecting all teams and leveraging AI to maximise impact and innovation, to help unleash its full potential and deliver on-track performance."
This unique livery was unveiled at a special event at the Lone Star Ranch in Austin, and features the striking blue and white colour scheme of the FW24 which battled the dominant Ferrari but ultimately finished 2nd in the 2002 title race.
At the hands of Juan Pablo Montoya it set what was then the fastest lap of any circuit in F1 history, setting pole position at Monza for the Italian GP with an average speed of 161.449mph (259.827km/h). It was also the only car other than Ferrari to win a race in 2002, driven to victory by Ralf Schumacher at the Malaysian GP.
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Reflecting on the decision to run a one-off livery this weekend, Cannon-Brookes noted: “Atlassian and Williams were both founded on Teamwork. Our beginnings were similar – two mates with big ideas and a hell of a lot of passion, ready to do something big.
"So we're thrilled that Atlassian can now partner with Williams as they drive towards a new era of greatness, using technology to help power their move up the grid. This 2002-inspired livery celebrates both teams' legacy and the bright future ahead for Atlassian Williams Racing.”
Speaking of the throwback livery, Juan Pablo Montoya noted: “It is incredible to think about how much has changed in F1 since 2002 but the key ingredients for success have remained the same: teamwork, innovation and a relentless determination to succeed. Williams has always stood for these values and it is clear that in Atlassian they have a partner that shares them.
"The throwback livery on the car looks amazing and is a great way to celebrate the partnership with Atlassian and the team’s ambition to return to the top step of the podium.”
Commenting on the livery, Sainz added: “The FW47 looks incredible in this 2002 retro livery which I am sure will be a fan favourite and I can’t wait to drive it at Austin this weekend.
"I have seen first hand how Atlassian’s software and approach to teamwork is helping move the team forward, and I am excited about what the future holds.”
