F1 Team Announces Huge Title Sponsorship Deal As New Name Revealed
Williams Racing has rebranded as Atlassian Williams Racing following a record-breaking title sponsorship deal.
Williams Racing has announced a transformative name change to Atlassian Williams Racing. This comes as part of a new long-term partnership with Atlassian, a leading software solutions company.
The partnership not only sees Atlassian becoming the title sponsor but also the official technology and collaboration software partner of the team.
Williams Racing, founded in 1977 by Sir Frank Williams, is widely recognized as one of Formula 1's most successful teams. The team boasts an impressive resume with 114 race wins, as well as nine Constructors' and seven Drivers' Championships.
During its golden era, drivers like Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, and Alain Prost were at the forefront, bringing the team much of its fame and success. However, the 2010s presented challenges and a performance decline, visible in Williams' finishes at the bottom of the Constructors' Championship in 2019 and 2020.
The race start as Esteban Ocon of France and Alpine F1 and Franco Colapinto of Argentina and Williams crash during the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on December 1, 2024 in... The race start as Esteban Ocon of France and Alpine F1 and Franco Colapinto of Argentina and Williams crash during the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on December 1, 2024 in Lusail City, Qatar. Qian Jun/MB Media/Getty Images
In an effort to reclaim its former glory, investors Dorilton Capital acquired Williams Racing in 2020 and began implementing a thorough restructuring plan. Leading that charge since 2023 has been Team Principal James Vowles, who has put a spotlight on modernizing the team through the use of technology and improved workflows, milestones that are now supported by Atlassian's involvement.
Vowles explained:
"I am delighted to welcome Atlassian into Formula 1 and our evolution into Atlassian Williams Racing.
"Attracting a title partnership of this size and significance is a momentous day in our team's illustrious history and a major milestone in our comeback transformation.
"We are putting in place all the right ingredients to get this team back to the front of the grid, and in Atlassian we have a partner that through its technology and tools will help unleash our full potential by improving teamwork and collaboration right across the organisation.
"Our values and ambition align perfectly, and I'm excited about what we can achieve together."
Atlassian, established in 2002, is renowned for offering software solutions like Jira for project management, Confluence for collaboration, and Trello for workflow tracking. Serving over 300,000 customers worldwide, Atlassian's tools are pivotal for fostering teamwork and enhancing the productivity of various industries. Reflecting on this partnership, Atlassian's CEO, Mike Cannon-Brookes, noted:
"Formula 1 is the ultimate team sport," he said. "It's where engineers, developers, commercial teams, pit crews and countless others work together in real-time at incredible speeds to race for a podium finish.
"Atlassian shares Williams' deep belief in the power of teamwork. We know that when great teams have the right tools and practices, they can achieve things that would be impossible alone.
"As one of the first global technology companies out of Australia, we understand what it's like to have passion, drive and the belief that you're building something great.
"This team has been through a remarkable transformation, and I believe Atlassian Williams Racing has all the foundations for a renewed era of greatness."
Williams' collaboration with Atlassian marks their first title sponsorship since Rokit in 2019, concluding a five-year stretch without a title partner. Earlier, Williams has partnered with sponsors such as BMW, AT&T, and Martini, although none matched the scale of this current agreement.