Our Formula 1 Journey: A Change in Power

As the 2010s dawned, Williams Racing faced a new era in Formula 1, marked by one of the sport's most comprehensive rule changes with the switch to turbo-hybrid power units in 2014.

The team entered this decade with its colossal legacy to uphold while adapting to the modern age but without consistency in engine suppliers or drivers.

Never one to shy away from adversity, a rollercoaster period followed for Williams Racing, with struggles and silverware alike.

Toyota's departure from Formula 1, as both a rival team and our engine supplier, at the end of 2009 signalled another shift for Williams Racing.

We entered the 2010 season with engines from Cosworth, a partnership harking back to earlier days, but the iconic name wasn't as competitive as it once was.

The season was better than 2009 but still short of where we'd like to be as we grappled for form under the new partnership of veteran driver Rubens Barrichello and rookie Nico Hülkenberg.

Pastor Maldonado replaced Nico in 2011, but these final years of Williams-Cosworth only showed glimpses of potential while primarily battling in the midfield.

In 2012, Williams Racing made a nostalgic switch back to Renault engines, reminiscent of their dominant days in the 1990s.

This partnership began with plenty of hope after a stunning victory at the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, as the back-and-forth season saw seven winners in the opening seven rounds.

Pastor delivered a masterful performance to storm to pole position on Saturday and follow up one day later with a famous win over local hero Fernando Alonso.

That weekend was a poignant reminder of Williams Racing's ability to compete at the highest level, yet remained an isolated highlight in a period otherwise marked by inconsistency and challenges.

2013 was no better, and we fell to our second season in three with just five points and a P9 finish by the last race, with a rookie, Valtteri Bottas, taking our best finish in the USA with eighth place.

The mid-2010s saw every team on the grid grappling with the advent of hybrid power as Formula 1 began its sustainable future.

Williams Racing was no exception and entered F1's new era partnered with Mercedes in 2014 in our first collaboration with the German giant.

Valtteri emerged as a strong talent, consistently delivering points and impressive performances, with another Brazilian, Felipe Massa, establishing himself at Grove.

Although victory eluded us, multiple podium finishes from both drivers came in 2014, 2015, and 2016 as our trophy cabinet returned to expanding ways.

Two P3 finishes in the Constructors' Championship to begin the turbo-hybrid era gave signs of encouragement, with the double podium at the 2014 finale being a highlight when we scored the most points ever in an F1 race.

Frustratingly, the team struggled to maintain this upward trajectory, facing stiff competition as other engine suppliers closed the gap on the powerful Mercedes power unit.

The departure of Valtteri to Mercedes in 2017 marked the end of a promising era, as the team looked to new talents like Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin to lead them forward.

Ever-inflating budgets and the retirement of Felipe coincided with a slow but undeniable slip down the pecking order, and top-10 results again became the exception rather than the rule.

By 2019, a solitary point-scoring finish at the chaotic German Grand Prix had us ending the decade with difficulty and two P10 championship finishes.

Yet, there are always highs after every low in Williams Racing's history, and the 2020s proved we would bounce back with another resilient spell to show signs of progress for a brighter future.