Williams up for sale

[David70]

Originally Posted by BeastieBombRacing

Well...build a better car.

With all the money and resources they have, it does surprise me that most of the teams on the grid can't build a competitive (as in, in with a shout more often than not to get a win) car.

Has any team except RB, MB and Ferrari won a race in the last 7 years? Say roughly 20 races a year, the other 7 teams are batting 0 for 140? "build a better car" is getting old.

They get their engines from Ferrari, we have no idea if it is "spec A" or "spec B" but I doubt Ferrari wants to help them come in first.

I can imagine what it is like for the 7 other teams when they talk to their sponsors about the chances of winning in the next 7 years. Uh, close to zero but not exactly zero.

[243Racing]

Originally Posted by David70

Has any team except RB, MB and Ferrari won a race in the last 7 years? Say roughly 20 races a year, the other 7 teams are batting 0 for 140? "build a better car" is getting old.

They get their engines from Ferrari, we have no idea if it is "spec A" or "spec B" but I doubt Ferrari wants to help them come in first.

I can imagine what it is like for the 7 other teams when they talk to their sponsors about the chances of winning in the next 7 years. Uh, close to zero but not exactly zero.

Why are Ferrari and Mercedes the only companies in the world capable of building a competitive F1 engine?

I almost threw up in my mouth a little bit including Ferrari there, lol. I guess its not just the engine that's the problem.

[David70]

Originally Posted by BeastieBombRacing

Why are Ferrari and Mercedes the only companies in the world capable of building a competitive F1 engine?

I almost threw up in my mouth a little bit including Ferrari there, lol. I guess its not just the engine that's the problem.

At least partly because of the money they put into it, get from sponsors and the extra money Liberty gives them for showing up (nothing to do with performance), then I believe sponsorship money is far easier to get when you have a chance of winning (who are these sponsors that are sold on being guaranteed a middle to last)

The $73 million Ferrari gets and the $35 million MB gets just for showing up certainly helps. The extra $73, $35, $35 million for MB, Ferrari, RB receive exactly align with the results over a long time period. I already said money doesn't guarantee results (see Toyota), but it definitely increases your odds. Yankees have both the highest winning percentage over time and also the largest budget, I think there is a relation between the two.

I have gone from watching the complete race to taping it and fast forwarding through much of it as a close to guaranteed outcome has me not as interested. Doubt I am the only one. The race often has 20 participants with 2-4 that are in the race to win.

https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/...itude-symantec
From January of this year

The Williams Formula One team have lost another major commercial partner after Unilever-owned anti-perspirant brand Rexona opted not to renew its contract, according to Polish sports outlet Sportowe Fakty.

Having recently lost Polish petroleum firm PKN Orlen to Alfa Romeo Racing, in a deal which also saw sponsored driver Robert Kubica sign for the Italians after leaving Williams, the UK-based motorsport outfit look set to be looking for another significant sponsor.

Initially signed in 2015, the Rexona deal was apparently worth €15 million (US$19.7 million). The figure would have made it Williams’ second largest partnership behind their current title sponsorship with technology brand Rokit that runs through to 2023 and was renewed in July last year.

Alfa Romeo Racing agree PKN Orlen co-title deal as part of Kubica return

In a further blow for Williams, minor sponsors Tata Communications, as well as blockchain platform Omnitude and software company Symantec have also reportedly followed Rexona out the door. This seems to be confirmed with none of the four companies branding currently listed as partners on Williams’ official website.

The loss of sponsorship revenue has been offset slightly by the arrival of driver Nicholas Latifi for the 2020 season. The son of Canadian billionaire and McLaren minority shareholder Michael Latifi reportedly arrives with €30 million (US$35.5 million) of annual backing.

December also saw Williams sell their engineering arm to the EMK Capital private equity firm for an undisclosed sum.

The team’s release of their most recent financial results covering the first half of 2019 detailed a loss of more than UK£16 million (US$21 million). Revenue also fell year-on-year from UK£60.7 million (US$79.8 million) to UK£46.3 million (US$60.9 million).

It all compounds a wretched period for Williams, who finished bottom of the 2019 constructors and drivers championships, collecting only a solitary point over the entire 2019 campaign.

Liberty can complain all they want about needing more teams, we can tell them to build a better car but whatever the problem I don't see a great business plan in spending hundreds of millions on a team that lost $21 million in the first half of 2019, especially when three teams get at least $35 million just for showing up.