Lowe critical of Williams: 'Gave wrong impression of real performance'

Downward spiral

Paddy Lowe worked for Williams from 1987 to 1993 and into 2018. In between, he also worked for McLaren and Mercedes. In early 2019, Lowe was put on leave because the car was not ready in time for winter testing that season. He did not finish the season with the team. A year later, the Williams family also said goodbye to Formula One.

In the podcast Beyond the Grid, Lowe talks about the sale of the team. "That's something they should have done a long time ago, to be honest, for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with the individuals themselves," he says. "The team has been on a downward spiral from a financial standpoint. When I was still there it went further and further downhill and that was actually very worrying."

Mercedes engine as cover

In 2014 and 2015 Williams still finished third in the constructors' championship, but Lowe says that was not down to the team itself. "Williams had by far the most advantage of the best engine from 2014. That gave a somewhat false impression of the real performance," reveals Lowe.

New investments

However, the advantage of the strong engine disappeared in the following years. "If a team lost its way because it didn't make the right investments or the right decisions, it doesn't immediately produce a bad car."

Although Williams now has a new lender and investment can be made again, Lowe doesn't see the team competing at the front any time soon. "They have new investors who will have the money to take the team forward. They can turn the tide, but it will be a long process."