|
Williams will
race in a 2002-inspired throwback livery at this weekend’s United States GP
in celebration of the team’s title partnership with Atlassian.
The
livery is a visual representation of how both Williams and Atlassian have
survived and thrived in the face of relentless change since 2002 through
harnessing the power of teamwork – and how both are determined to return the
team to glory by pushing forward, together.
The one-off special
design, unveiled by Carlos Sainz alongside Atlassian Co-founder and Chief
Executive Officer Mike Cannon-Brookes and 2002 Williams driver Juan Pablo
Montoya, commemorates the year Atlassian was founded and showcases the
shared histories and values of two teamwork powerhouses.
Co-founders
Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar launched Atlassian with an idea and a
$10,000 credit card debt, growing the company into the world’s leading
provider of collaboration software used by more than 300,000 customers
across the globe through relentless innovation and determination.
Williams was similarly founded by the legendary Sir Frank Williams and Sir
Patrick Head in 1977, battling early financial challenges to become one of
the top-three most successful F1 teams of all time with 114 wins, nine
Constructors’ World Championships and seven Drivers’ World Championships
through pushing the boundaries of technology and unerring resilience. |
The two
organisations joined forces at the start of the year to accelerate Williams’
mission to return to the front of the grid. The team is using Atlassian’s
products and System of Work, a deliberate approach to teamwork that
emphasises connecting all teams and leveraging AI to maximise impact and
innovation, to help unleash its full potential and deliver on-track
performance.
Examples include: • Prioritising the most important
engineering projects according to the lap time they will deliver using Jira
Product Discovery • Sourcing key data and insights from across the team
using Rovo • Supporting staff with on-demand how-to learning for the most
complex processes with Loom videos • Improving and accelerating machine
repairs using Jira Asset Management
Williams is enjoying its best
season since 2016, sitting fifth in the Constructors’ Championship, as the
team continues with its comeback plan.
This weekend’s livery,
unveiled at a special event at the Lone Star Ranch in Austin, was inspired
by the striking blue and white colour scheme of the FW24 which battled the
dominant Ferrari but ultimately finished 2nd in the 2002 title race.
At the hands of Juan Pablo Montoya it set what was then the fastest lap of
any circuit in F1 history, setting pole position at Monza for the Italian GP
with an average speed of 161.449mph (259.827km/h). It was also the only car
other than Ferrari to win a race in 2002, driven to victory by Ralf
Schumacher at the Malaysian GP
Mike Cannon-Brookes, CEO, Atlassian:
“Atlassian and Williams were both founded on Teamwork. Our beginnings were
similar – two mates with big ideas and a hell of a lot of passion, ready to
do something big. So we're thrilled that Atlassian can now partner with
Williams as they drive towards a new era of greatness, using technology to
help power their move up the grid. This 2002-inspired livery celebrates both
teams' legacy and the bright future ahead for Atlassian Williams Racing.”
Juan Pablo Montoya: “It is incredible to think about how much has
changed in F1 since 2002 but the key ingredients for success have remained
the same: teamwork, innovation and a relentless determination to succeed.
Williams has always stood for these values and it is clear that in Atlassian
they have a partner that shares them. The throwback livery on the car looks
amazing and is a great way to celebrate the partnership with Atlassian and
the team’s ambition to return to the top step of the podium.”
Carlos
Sainz, Atlassian Williams Racing: “The FW47 looks incredible in this 2002
retro livery which I am sure will be a fan favourite and I can’t wait to
drive it at Austin this weekend. I have seen first hand how Atlassian’s
software and approach to teamwork is helping move the team forward, and I am
excited about what the future holds.” |