• Williams news

Williams secures Renault engine deal for 2012 onwards

Renault last powered Williams in 1997 © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News:
• Renault open to more teams
  
• News:
• Cosworth in F1 for long-term
  
• News:
• Williams deal could 'dilute' engine supply - Boullier
  
• Feature:
• 'This partnership is for the long-term'
  

• Drivers:
• Sir Frank Williams

• Teams:
• Williams

Williams has secured a long-term engine deal with Renault, reviving the most successful chassis-engine partnership of the 1990s.

Renault, which already supplies Red Bull, Lotus Renault GP and Team Lotus, will supply Williams with V8s from 2012 to 2013, with a view to continuing the deal when V6 turbos are introduced in 2014. Williams is currently supplied by Cosworth and will continue use the same engines for the rest of the 2011 season.

"We are delighted and excited by our new partnership with Renault," Sir Frank Williams said. "This reunites the F1 team with a leading car manufacturer and complements our new relationship with Jaguar. At the same time, we are grateful to Cosworth: they have been a fair and reliable partner both on and off the track for the past two years and we look forward to working with them across our business in the future.

"Our previous relationship with Renault was one of the most successful in Williams' history but we will not allow ourselves to dwell too much on the past. We must look to the future and continue to re-build our on-track reputation, which I am hopeful that today's announcement will help us to do."

Renault engine boss Bernard Rey added: "Renault remains in Formula One to achieve success in a cost efficient way and the partnership with Williams has great potential to add to the results we have notched up over recent years with our other partner teams. Williams has recently taken several important steps, both commercially and technically, to update its operations and we feel that this partnership is another important step in its rigorous plan. It reiterates how determined the team is to achieve results, which matches perfectly with our own objectives.

"From 2012 onwards the fact that we will have four partners puts us ahead of other engine manufacturers in terms of market share, but off track it will also enable us to further use Formula One as a marketing platform for our parent company, Renault, to try to bring a bit of this association to our fans and our customers worldwide.

"Of course there's also a great pride in reviving the Williams-Renault name. Together, we produced racing cars that are recognised for their technical innovation and it is still Renault's most successful period in F1 to date. It's a hugely exciting opportunity for both Renault and Williams."

Renault powered Williams to four drivers' titles and five constructors' championships between 1992 and 1997.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.