Interesting that today we learn that two formerly very important people at the Williams F1 team were celebrated with honors, while a third arguably even more important member of that team becomes a former member. The British Queen’s honors list for New Year’s announced that Adrian Newey, the former designer at the Williams team in the early 1990s was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire [OBE] and Nigel Mansell, the former driver at the team who won the drivers’ title at Williams in 1992 was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire [CBE].
And it was announced that Patrick Head, the engineering director and co-owner of the team since its founding in 1977, would step down from the board and no longer work on the team – although he will continue to work on the board of Williams’ Hybrid power company. Big new, as Head was really part of the heart and soul of the Williams team, which today has become a big company.