Now that Carlos has finally announced that he will continue his career with Williams, I feel inspired to share what it was like watching the Silverstone race at the Williams HQ in Grove.
With my experience at Red Bull behind me, I felt more confident preparing for the event. Williams’ headquarters is even more in the middle of nowhere than Milton Keynes, so I solved the logistics with a nearby accommodation—so close that it was practically a 5-minute walk door to door.
Williams had planned the program from 9 AM to 5:30 PM, so we got breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea. There were plenty of agenda items for around 150 people, which is a small number compared to a race, but because of this, I felt less comfortable and at home than at Red Bull. It was clear that the approach was entirely different at both places: Red Bull wanted to host us, while Williams aimed to entertain us.
Most of the events took place in a large room where the projector and tables were located. We received a very detailed analysis of Silverstone (which was funny to me because they explained DRS to us but assumed we knew the names of all the corners on the track—maybe this is some English cultural thing, and it’s obvious to them). There was a quiz where we could win gift packages, a live video chat with Jenson Button, and the opportunity to share our cherished memories related to Williams.
Upstairs, there was a more interactive entertainment area. With twenty simulators, they far surpassed Red Bull, which had only two, and they enthusiastically helped and explained how everything worked (even though it wasn’t my first rodeo). There was also a Scalextric track where four cars could race on a cute little track while someone commented on the events. Additionally, there was an all-time bests leaderboard, led by George Russell (I actually remember a scene like this from Drive to Survive, where they play with Kubica and Claire Williams), and a Batak board (the reflex game where you press the flashing buttons).
The Williams trophies were displayed upstairs, which unfortunately didn’t quite match in quantity what I saw at Red Bull, but maybe under James Vowles’ leadership, they’ll need to acquire a few more display cases.
My favorite part was when they took us into the car collection, and you could immediately smell the rubber and gasoline, which made everything feel so special. We had a guide who practically walked us through the history of the cars—and wow, the way he presented it, I suddenly felt a strong urge to buy a book about the history of Williams because it was so exciting (recommendations are welcome).
The screening itself took place in the large room, and considering Williams was not exactly competing at the front (although they celebrated the 9th and 11th place starts of their drivers after qualifying as an extraordinary achievement), the British drivers were more in the spotlight. Every time there was an overtake or exciting action, the whole room clapped and cheered. Hamilton’s victory was also received with great joy!
Despite Williams being so secretive (we couldn’t video, and I had to sign a document stating I wasn’t an industrial spy or anything), they do hold so-called Heritage Tours, where they guide you through their car collection. I don’t know of any other team that does this (Red Bull does to some extent, but there’s significantly less history there).
Overall, I had a good time; the afternoon tea was a very nice touch, though it might have been better not to use a buffet solution, as I personally didn’t want to miss any of the race’s intense action. Nevertheless, I recommend watching a race at Williams if someone is looking for a slightly different experience from being at the track.
Here is a my reel from my visit with a lot more pictures:
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