Williams Team Principal James Vowles says the appointment of new Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry will have a “real effect” on the team from 2025 onwards.
Fry departed Alpine earlier this year and was snapped up by Williams to take on the role of CTO, with his duties officially commencing on November 1.
Speaking to the official Formula 1 website, Vowles commented how the effect of Fry’s appointment is all about the long-term gains, with the development of next year’s car well underway.
“We’ve brought together a really good group of individuals at Williams, and we are working together,” he said.
“In part, I have sadness because I have to start letting go of that side of things.
“With 2024 though, the dye is pretty much set in the direction of travel.
“This chassis will already, by the time he comes through the door, be most of the way produced. It has to be.
“That’s what the timelines are for these things, which means you define some of the big elements to things.
“The aero package again will be most of the way through development, even though it’s going to be for next year.
“But the impact – and I’ve said it all along – I’m not interested in short term, I’m interested in the long term.
“So, he will already, in the 2024 season, have a positive effect but that real effect will kick in in ’25, ’26, [2027].”
In Fry, Williams is getting hold of one of the most experienced members of the Formula 1 paddock.
His F1 journey began in the 1980s with Benetton, before a switch to McLaren which saw him remain with the Woking-based outfit until 2010.
From McLaren, Fry headed to Ferrari, where he spent five years before a brief spell with struggling minnows Manor.
From Manor, Fry headed back to McLaren in temporary capacity, before heading back to Enstone, seeing through a period of transition as the team shifted from Renault to Alpine branding.
The addition of a CTO was one of the primary short-term goals of Vowles’ when he took on the role of Team Principal at Williams earlier this year, tasked with overseeing the long-term revolution of the once-great title-winning team.
In 2023, Vowles’ first year as Williams team boss, things have started on a positive trajectory, with the grove-based outfit sitting seventh in the Constructors’ Championship on 23 points, by far eclipsing the team’s final tally of 8 points last season which saw it finish last in the standings.
The next short-term task for Williams will be taking on the penultimate Sprint weekend of the year in Austin, Texas, with the event just days away (October 20-22).
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