Williams Martini Racing have announced that they will call their 2017 car the FW40 to mark forty years in Formula 1 racing.
Williams have had a long and illustrious career in Formula 1 winning 114 races and 7 driver championships, the most recent of which was in 1997 with Jacques Villeneuve.
Speaking to F1i.com, Deputy Team Principal Claire Williams said, “40 years ago Frank [Williams] and Patrick [Head] created what would become one of the most iconic teams in the history of Formula One – Williams.
“We are immensely proud of what we have achieved during our long and illustrious history. We have experienced the most euphoric highs – reaching the pinnacle of the sport nine times as a Constructor and created seven Champion drivers; Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve.”
The drivers for 2017 were announced on Thursday, with Felipe Massa retiring at the end of 2016 and being replaced by Canadian teenager Lance Stroll, alongside the retained Valtteri Bottas, and Williams feels that the team have managed to cope with the demands and challenges that the sport throws at the team over the years.
“So much has changed in Formula One in the last 40 years but one thing remains the same, our passion for motorsport,” said Williams. “We want to celebrate our passion, our achievements and our heritage with everyone who has made this journey possible – our fans, partners, media colleagues and the many friends we have made over the last four decades.”
