Williams Racing has announced Komatsu as its principal partner after signing a multi-year deal ahead of the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship.
Williams Racing has worked with the heavy equipment manufacturer before, as Komatsu was a key partner of Williams Racing (F1) during the Formula One seasons in the 1980s and 1990s, a successful period for the team.
The relationship started when Sir Frank Williams approached the company to help design and manufacture spiral bevel gear primary drives for the FW11 Williams Honda F1 car, which went on to win the 1987 F1 World Championship.
The successful collaboration between the two organisations continued, with the company designing and manufacturing the gearbox in the famous FW19 Williams F1 car in 1999, which led the racing team to 11 pole positions, 15 podiums and eight wins that year.
James Vowles, Team Principal of Williams Racing said: “Williams Racing is delighted to be rekindling our relationship with Komatsu. We have enjoyed huge success together in the past and reuniting is a significant step in Williams Racing’s long-term mission to return to the front of the grid.
“Both Williams and Komatsu are committed to attracting and developing the best young talent in pursuit of our goals and we look forward to working together again.”
Recently, It has been a busy period in the F1 landscape. AlphaTauri revealed it will begin the new season under a new name, McClaren announced that cryptocurrency exchange OKX will feature prominently on its car livery and Sauber Motorsports partnered with Stake.
The new partnership looks to create a foundation for cross collaboration between the two organisations, with Komatsu looking forward to working with Willaims “across a range of disciplines, especially relating to the development of our people and exploring potential opportunities in the technical engineering ecosystem”.
In addition to potential collaboration, the manufacturer’s branding will appear on Williams’ 2024 challenger – the FW46 – as well as the team’s overalls and kit during the upcoming F1 season.
Hiroyuki Ogawa, President and CEO of Komatsu said: “Komatsu and Williams Racing have shared values around innovation and the development of our people, and through our partnership we look forward to creating value together, both on and off the track.
“Our partnership with Williams Racing, is aligned with Komatsu’s mission to create value through manufacturing and technology innovations to empower a sustainable future where people, businesses and our planet can thrive together.”
