Daily Newsletter

09 January 2024

Daily Newsletter

09 January 2024

Williams Racing retain Mercedes power units until 2030

F1 teams are preparing for new engine regulations from 2026, featuring fully sustainable fuels and more electric power.

Susan Lingeswaran January 08 2024

Williams Racing, the UK-based Formula 1 (F1) motor racing team, will continue to use Mercedes power units when the championship’s new engine regulations are introduced in 2026 after striking a contract extension until at least 2030.

The deal comes as F1 teams prepare for the new engine measures, which will feature fully sustainable fuels and a greater output of electric power as part of its efforts to become net carbon zero from 2030.

Williams team principal James Vowles said: “It is fantastic to extend our partnership with Williams Racing until 2030.

“We have enjoyed a strong relationship with them since the introduction of the current power unit regulations and look forward to continuing that into this next era.

“Their commitment and support to our future power unit strategy is highly valued. We look forward to approaching these new rules set together, with the same passion and enthusiasm we did in 2014 and with the aim of achieving similar successes.”

Williams Racing has used Mercedes power units since 2014 and is Mercedes’ second-longest power unit client after Aston Martin, which has used the units since 2009 when they raced as Force India.

Fellow F1 rivals McLaren, which resumed using Mercedes’ power units in 2019 after a previous partnership deal running from 1995 to 2014, has also agreed a contract extension covering the new power unit era until 2030.

Aston Martin, meanwhile, will end its current contract with Mercedes at the end of 2025 after choosing Japanese carmaker Honda for its power units from the 2026 season.

Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes-Benz Motorsport and team principal of the F1 team, said: “Today’s news highlights the strength of the Mercedes-Benz offering in F1 and importantly not only validates, but reinforces, our overall motorsport strategy.

“Since 2014, we have continued to build and develop our relationship with Williams. As the team continues to put the foundations in place to challenge at the front of the grid, we look forward to supporting them with our power unit supply.”

The new deal comes after Williams announced a multi-year sponsorship deal with British e-commerce retail company THG, making it an official partner across nutrition, technology, e-commerce, and sustainability.

Key Themes in Sport for 2024

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