Williams embarked on an extensive hiring campaign to strengthen their team. The Formula 1 team announced the hiring of over 26 professionals from rival F1 teams, including five new senior technical members. Among them is former Alpine Technical Director, Matt Harman, who joined the Williams Formula 1 project as Director of Design. Harman brings with him a vast experience from his previous positions at Renault, Mercedes, and Mercedes’ engine division. His expertise played a significant role in the success of the Brackley-based team.
Another notable addition to the team is Fabrice Moncade, who previously worked for Ferrari as Head of Performance Analysis. Moncade will assume the role of Chief Computer Science Engineer at Williams starting from July 1st. Joining him is Juan Molina, who will take on the position of Head of Aerodynamics on July 15th. Molina contributed to three World Championship doubles at Red Bull and most recently served as Principal Aerodynamicist at Haas.
Steve Winstanley, who was part of six World Championship doubles at Red Bull, will now serve as Chief Composite and Structures Engineer at Williams. With 22 years of experience in Formula 1, Winstanley brings extensive knowledge to the team. Completing the group of senior recruits is Richard Frith, former Head of Performance at Alpine. With over two decades of F1 experience, Frith will join Williams as Head of Performance Systems in 2025.
No total, Williams has recruited 26 new employees who will join the team throughout the remainder of the year. The team has managed to attract individuals from Mercedes, Ferrari, Red Bull, and Alpine. The aerodynamics department will have 11 new hires, while the design office in Grove will receive 13. Williams has also made a strategic move by recruiting from outside the sport, with Sorin Cheran joining the Hewlett Packard Enterprise team as CIAO to lead the team’s innovations with Artificial Intelligence.
This significant hiring campaign is indicative of Vowles’ goal to rejuvenate Williams and restore its winning reputation.
“I am thrilled to welcome these six remarkable individuals to Williams,” he said.
“We are determined to fight our way back to the top, and the fact that we have been able to attract experienced and championship-winning professionals from other teams shows tremendous belief in the path we are following.
“Williams is investing in the necessary resources to achieve victory, and this is just the beginning as we prepare to welcome more new faces from various teams in the coming months.”
Fry, who joined the team last November, acknowledged how Williams “has ambitious goals and an incredible forward momentum, and these exceptional additions demonstrate that this project is something people are eager to be a part of.
“We are strengthening our already immense talent in Grove, adding depth as we build for the future.”