Following a struggle of performance during the latest F1 seasons, ex-champion F1 team, Williams Grand Prix announced a radical re-arrangement of engineering and management staff. Specifically, it was announced that technical director Sam Michael and chief aerodynamicist Jon Tomlinson will leave the team at the end of the 2011 season. Moreover, former McLaren chief engineer Mike Coughlan, who was banned from the sport for two years for his involvement in the Spygate scandal, will soon join the team taking Sam Michael's position.
Sam Michael himself admitted that he was considering his own position following what was the team's worst start to a season in its history. Chief executive Adam Parr confirmed that he also felt responsible about Williams' poor performance and that he had already spoken to the staff in an attempt to shoulder the blame.
Parr admitted through a teleconference that he had also offered his resignation as part of the restructuring process which was actually declined by the main shareholders.
"Absolutely. I tendered my resignation to Frank [Williams], Patrick [Head] and Toto [Wolff, shareholder]. I am responsible and I took the responsibility to do whatever they wanted to do. They did [reject it], yes. But that doesn't mean I don't feel responsible for what happened. I've addressed the whole factory and explained that I am responsible and have apologised for my part in this failure."
According to Flagworld report, Adam Parr also revealed that team's co-founder Patrick Head is about to retire from F1 as well. The 64-year-old admitted recently that he is not attending too many races this season and cashed in millions of his team shareholding for the Frankfurt stock floatation of Williams GP. According to Parr "he has made it clear he will be retiring at some point this year and will head into retirement proper later in 2011."
Frank Williams paid tribute to the departed employees for their service, and said they would focus on improving the current car while the changes are made.
"Both Sam and Jon are talented and driven people who have worked hard for Williams over ten and five years respectively. Nonetheless, they have recognised that the team's performance is not at the level that it needs to be and have resigned in order to give the team the opportunity to regroup and undertake the changes necessary to get back to the front of the grid... Both will continue to work in their present positions through until the end of the year to ensure that the team maintains focus and momentum during the 2011 season. We are very grateful to Sam and to Jon for their professional approach."
Speaking of Coughlan's F1 return, Frank Williams commented that he is determined to rebuild Coughan's reputation following his Spygate disgrace.
"[He's] a fine engineer with extensive experience across Formula One and both civil and defence engineering. He left Formula One in 2007 because of conduct which he acknowledges was wrong and which he profoundly regrets. His two-year ban from the sport expired some time ago and Mike is now determined to prove himself again.
Williams is delighted to be able to give him the opportunity to do this and we are very pleased to have one of the most talented and competitive engineers in the sport helping us to return to the front of the grid. This is the first step in re-building and strengthening our technical group. We will announce the next steps as they develop."
After his F1 ban, Coughlan was found in United States working for Michael Waltrip Racing Team and stated that he was looking forward to returning to Formula One and trying to move Williams back to the front of the grid.
"I am grateful to Williams for giving me this opportunity. My experience in 2007 was life-changing... Now, I am looking forward to returning to a sport which I love and to joining a team that I have admired for many years. I will dedicate myself to the team and to ensuring that we return to competitiveness while respecting the ethical standards with which Williams has always been synonymous."
Mike Coughlan undertook his training and education at Rolls Royce and Brunel University. He began his Formula One career at Lotus where he worked his way up to Chief Designer. He subsequently worked for Tyrell, Ferrari and Arrows before joining McLaren in 2002 as Chief Designer. Mike left Formula One in 2007 as a result of his role in the ‘Spygate’ affair. Since then, Mike has applied his skills principally as Chief Engineer in the development of the Ocelot Light Protected Patrol Vehicle. He joins Williams F1 from NASCAR team, Michael Waltrip Racing.
