GAC partners with AT&T Williams F1 team

Global logistics, shipping and marine services company, the GAC Group, has entered into a partnership agreement with the top Formula One motor racing team, AT&T Williams, to develop cost efficient logistics services in support of their efforts to meet the demands of an industry-wide cost reduction programme.

Cutting costs

The strategic partnership will help the AT&T Williams team respond effectively to increasing pressure to reduce costs in the sport.

Under the AT&T Williams agreement, GAC will provide efficient logistics support in connection with the company’s Formula One freight requirements and oversee the management of the equipment for a challenging global programme that visits 19 different countries on five continents in nine months.

GAC will also provide logistics services from the new Williams Technology Centre in Qatar, the first Formula One-related technical centre outside the sport’s traditional heartland of Europe. There, Williams will be developing simulator technology and their F1-derived Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) which allows energy to be recovered and stored in a flywheel for a wide range of environmentally-friendly civil and industrial applications. GAC is responsible for shipping equipment to Qatar and providing day-to-day support at the facility.

As a result of the partnership, the GAC logo will get a boost thanks to prominent branding opportunities on the AT&T Williams race cars, race trucks and other areas in the team environment, commencing at the opening race of the 2010 Formula One season in Bahrain. The GAC Group will also be well placed to offer its services to AT&T Williams’ business associates and suppliers.

On track

The agreement is GAC’s first collaboration with a Formula One team. Group Commercial Vice President, Bill Hill, says: “We are excited to be able to partner with AT&T Williams in their logistics needs. With GAC’s global network, resources and track record in sports and automotive logistics, I am confident we will be well on track to support AT&T Williams in their bid to reduce overall operations costs.”

Some of GAC’s sport clients have included the Doha Asian Games, MotoGP, the A1 Grand Prix, World Rally Championship, the eco-powerboat ‘Earthrace’ and Manchester United Soccer Schools.

AT&T Williams Team Principal Sir Frank Williams said, “We are delighted to have formalised a partnership with a logistics specialist. I am impressed with GAC’s proactiveness, creativity and resourcefulness in helping us implement the most cost and time efficient logistics solutions. I believe that this is a start to a long and successful partnership.”

AT&T Williams signs Valtteri Bottas as Official Test Driver

The AT&T Williams team today confirmed the appointment of Valtteri Bottas as its official test driver.

Valtteri, a 20-year old from Nastola, Finland, will take up the role vacated by Nico Hulkenberg as he steps up as a team race driver. Having begun karting at the age of six, Bottas has a strong record of success with seven years in the Finnish national squad. In 2006, he concluded his karting career by winning the WSK International Series Formula A, Finnish Formula A and Finnish ICA.  In 2007, he moved to Formula Renault where, in 2008, he won both the Eurocup and NEC championships with 17 wins and 22 podiums from 28 starts. In 2009, he graduated to Formula 3 with ART and was the highest placed rookie, finishing third in the championship with six second place finishes and two pole positions in the 10-round Euroseries Championship.  He also won the F3 Masters last year.

On his appointment, AT&T Williams Team Principal Frank Williams said, “Valtterri’s CV is very impressive, with a long list of success in the right junior formulae. We hope that the role of official test driver in our squad will provide him with another step in his development. We wish him all the best in the Formula Three Euroseries this season.”

Valtteri said, “This is a great way to start 2010. I am very honoured to have been selected by a team as prestigious as AT&T Williams, one of the most significant names in the sport. This is an important step in my career but now the real work starts to get to the top. I am sure I will learn a lot with the team and I trust that together we will achieve great results for the years to come.  This opportunity gives me even more positive energy to improve as a driver and achieve my future targets as my ultimate goal will be to become Formula One World Champion one day. I take the opportunity to thank Sir Frank Williams and the senior management of the team and also to thanks my management and my sponsors for all their work and support so far.”

Oris strengthens AT&T Williams partnership for 2010

The Swiss watch manufacturer Oris continues to support Formula One. New for this year is the large logo on the front of the drivers’ overalls as well as on the side of each driver’s helmet.

The extension to Oris’ deal will also see the brand logo in its familiar position on the front wing end plate of the two new FW32s. The Oris logo will also retain its place on the drivers’ gloves and will continue to appear on the left sleeve of the team uniform.

This will be Oris’ seventh full season as an Official Partner of the AT&T Williams team.

Oris Executive Chairman, Ulrich W. Herzog commented:” Our increased commitment to AT&T Williams, in this tougher economic climate, underlines our firm resolution to further build the image of Oris watches within the competitive and prestigious field of Formula One.  We are convinced that, together with AT&T Williams, this will be particularly successful.”

Sir Frank Williams, the AT&T Williams Team Principal added, “I am delighted that Oris has increased its partnership agreement with the team which is now one of the longest standing relationships in our sponsorship portfolio.  In return, the team will ensure that this is only strengthened during 2010 to honour Oris’ continued commitment to our goal of success on the race track.”

The Oris logo appears in its familiar position on the front wing end plate for 2010. The new look AT&T Williams for the 2010 Formula One season. New for this season is the Oris logo on the front of the drivers’ overalls.

Williams F1 Renews Assocation with MAN Trucks

The AT&T Williams team today confirmed that it had renewed its association with MAN Truck & Bus UK Ltd as an official supplier of the race team. Since 2006, MAN power has been the driving force behind the team’s intensive road logistics programme that sees 35 tonnes of freight delivered every fortnight to the nine European destinations that form the backbone of the Formula One calendar.

The high level of dependency on reliability and dependability has been built around the 11 MAN tractor units and one rigid truck that constitute the AT&T Williams fleet. Each truck travels around 180,000km per year, but despite the demanding mileage, the race calendar provides no leeway for anything less than 100% precision on the punctual arrival of race cars, garage equipment and motorhomes in order to set up the team’s remote field operation at each Grand Prix.

Vehicle Telematics is also an area in which both Williams F1 and MAN are working. Telematics technology within both the haulage industry and Formula One share a great many synergies, providing plenty of scope for further development of driver training.

Commenting on the renewed agreement, Des Evans, MAN’s Head of Business Development, Truck Sales, Northern Europe said, “MAN is naturally delighted to have reaffirmed its partnership with the AT&T Williams team which, again, sees us in direct support of one of Formula One’s most illustrious names. In these tough economic times, the truck industry continues to struggle, and MAN has been forced into some tough decisions. is very much part of a strategy of worldwide expansion.”

The AT&T Williams Team Principal, Frank Williams said, “We are very grateful to MAN, not just for their continued support, but for providing a superior solution that we can rely on and around which we manage a complex logistical programme for all European races.”

20-Nov-09: Williams Sell a Minority Stake in the Team

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Welcome to F1 Minute for the 20th November 2009.

Williams announced today that they have sold a stake in their team to an Austrian investment company, somewhere between 10 and 49%, which doesn’t really narrow it down. The head of that company Toto Wolff has experience as a rally driver, and will sit on the board of Williams, but Frank Williams is still insistent that he’s in charge and that nothing really changes in the day to day running of the team. Perhaps the key quote for the motivation behind the deal is from Frank: “Certainly he can be very useful in finding sponsors. It’s an area where he can, I’m sure, be very active.”

Elsewhere, Ferrari have confirmed their driver for the upcoming young driver test at Jerez in December. They are giving 20 year old Frenchman Jules Bianchi a chance behind the wheel. Bianchi won the Formula 3 Euro series this year and will be competing in the Macau Grand Prix this weekend. After that, though, he’s looking forward to getting in an F1 car for the first time.

That’s all for now, have a great weekend and I’ll be back on Monday with another F1 Minute.

Toto Wolff is a new Williams F1 shareholder & board member

Frank Williams and Patrick Head announced today that they have sold a minority interest in Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited (Williams F1) to an
investment company led by Austrian investor Toto Wolff. Mr Wolff also joins the company’s Board.

AT&T Williams Launches Official Online Photo Store

The AT&T Williams team have today launched an exclusive online photo store offering the public the opportunity to create unique photo products.

Fans of the team can choose from 250 limited edition framed prints per Grand Prix, including 25 signed by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head, or they can create their own sporting memorabilia with the photo book, photo calendar or framed photo montage.

Users of the new online store and downloadable software will be able to browse the AT&T Williams team’s official image library from the 2009 season to select their favourite images – combining these with their own race day photographs to make a personalised memento or gift.

The software is simple to use and allows fans to drag and drop the digital images into the on-screen template for each product. Further personalisation is possible by adding captions to the pages of the books or marking the event on the framed photo montage. Prices and delivery option details are available to view online.

The AT&T Williams official e-photo shop is now open at www.attwilliamsephoto.com.

AT&T Williams confirms engine partnership with Cosworth

Friday October 30, 2009, Abu Dhabi. The AT&T Williams team today confirmed that it has signed a long-term engine partnership with Cosworth Limited.

Frank Williams, Team Principal, said “Cosworth have impressed us with the quality of their technical team and convinced us that their programme will deliver a competitive Formula One engine. In addition, like Williams, Cosworth is an independent company whose owners share our passion for racing and engineering.  We believe that, working together, we will develop not only a competitive racing car for 2010 but also a long-term partnership that can take on the best in Formula One.”

Mark Gallagher, Cosworth’s General Manger, Formula One, said “Cosworth is delighted to be renewing our partnership with Williams. We look forward to forging a long-standing relationship, not only for the supply of competitive Formula One engines, but also in the joint development of new technologies that have wider application outside of Formula One.

Kevin Kalkhoven, one of Cosworth’s investors, said, “I am very pleased to see Cosworth engaging with like-minded companies in the development of high-technology solutions. Formula One is a great opportunity to showcase technical capabilities that can, with proper application, solve current and emerging challenges in the wider world.”

17-Sep-09: Williams and Kubica Wait on Renault

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This is F1 Minute and it’s the 17th September 2009.

Although today’s minute isn’t about Renault directly, their impending hearing is causing all sorts of havoc. Williams are starting to get concerned about their engine deal for next year, as they are hoping to move away from Toyota, and were thinking about Renault as a possibility… if the team are still in the sport. Co-owner of Williams, Patrick Head has said they approached Mercedes but were told the option to run their engines wasn’t available to them. Head believes their request wasn’t helped by them not being a part of FOTA at the time. He also admits they are looking at Cosworth for a supply next year, but it’s no secret that Frank Williams isn’t a fan.

In slightly related news, Robert Kubica has said he is waiting to see what happens with Renault before making any announcements on his future. The French team aren’t his only option, although they have made the Pole an offer. He’s also linked with Williams to replace Nico Rosberg who, in turn, is linked with Brawn.

That’s all for now, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.

27-Aug-09: Campos GP Will Struggle Without Budget Caps

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It’s the 27th August 2009 and this is F1 Minute.

Campos Grand Prix director Daniel Audetto has admitted that the team came close to pulling the plug following the budget cap regulations being overturned. Talking of all the various elements that had made F1 so appealing, Audetto said: “These all disappeared, and the only thing that did not disappear was the budget we already had. So we cannot now afford to go to the level of others…” He does believe the team can start small and build up, but worryingly wants to “show like we did with Super Aguri that we are professional.” Let’s not think about what happened to that team!

Elsewhere, Frank Williams has said that they would like to keep their hands on Rosberg if they can, although he knows he is probably on McLaren’s list as a potential Heikki replacement. Frank says: “He is single minded, chirpy, a little arrogant which is good – he is always very good with the promo people, never an objection, he is very good.”

That’s all for now, I’ll be back tomorrow with another F1 Minute.

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