Claire Williams, England
Deputy team principal of the Williams Formula One racing team
One of the most prominent figures in Formula One, Williams serves as an inspiration to thousands of women worldwide. In her role as deputy team principal of Williams Racing, the 42-year-old uses her knowledge, passion and immense leadership to drive an ambitious team that her father Frank established over 40 years ago. With nine constructors’ championship wins, the famous English marque are one of the sport’s most famous teams. And despite the lack of success in recent years, with only one race victory in 14 seasons, Claire is thriving on a communications, commercial and decision making level in a bid to steer Williams back to the front of the paddock again. To highlight her tremendous services to international sport, she was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016 and continues to conduct an impressive public image at circuits around the world on a bi-weekly basis.
– The 2019 F1 season got off to a poor start for Williams with the team being forced to withdraw from the first day of pre-season testing because the car wasn’t ready.
– The Newcastle University graduate considered quitting Formula One in 2018 because Williams had the slowest car and one of the lowest budgets on the grid.
– She married long-term partner Marc Harris last year – the agent to Racing Point driver Lance Stroll.
Did you know…
Speaking openly about Williams’ demise in 2018, she admitted that it is ‘soul destroying’ to see her family’s team slump from multiple constructors’ championship winners to being one of the slowest cars on the grid.
“I grew up in F1, so I’ve been surrounded by men all my life and am used to that. When I was put into this role I never thought, ‘Oh God, will people take me seriously because I’m a woman?’ I’ve never really found that it’s been more of a challenge doing this role because I’m a girl. I’m just there to do my job. The girl thing just doesn’t come into it.” – Claire Williams (Source: The Independent)
