A former Claverley man has reached the pinnacle of his chosen career as part of the 2009 Formula One World Championship winning team. James Williams, who grew up in the Bridgnorth area and whose parents live at The Wold in Claverley, works as a design and development engineer for the Brawn GP F1 racing car team, based in Northamptonshire.
He is jointly responsible for gearbox internals and differential units, together with being involved with other mechanical and hydraulic parts, solving reliability issues and concerns and helping to produce a state-of-the-art racing car.
Last year Brawn GP produced a fairytale story to win both the F1 constructors’ title and the driver’s title with Jenson Button, and has just confirmed seven-times F1 champion Michael Schumacher as one of its drivers for 2010.
James graduated from Cardiff University in 2000 with a first class honours degree in mechanical engineering and initially worked for Xtrac Motorsport Transmissions, working on a wide variety cars including World Rally Cars, F1 cars, Touring Cars, NASCAR and the Le Mans winning Bentley racer in 2004.
In 2006, he joined Honda F1 Racing, working in its transmission design group, the year in which Jenson Button won his first ever F1 race. However during 2007 and 2008 they did not have a competitive car and in December 2008 Honda decided to withdraw from F1 racing.
James says: “We were all faced with the prospect of losing our jobs. However, with the focus and direction provided by team principal Ross Brawn, we carried on throughout the winter, designing and manufacturing a chassis based around a new Mercedes engine.
“In March 2009 the team was rebranded Brawn GP and the car made its testing debut at a very cold Silverstone circuit. After a radical staff restructure at the company and many worrying times, this car ultimately led to the team winning both the constructors’ and driver’s championships.
“My top moments of 2009 were watching the car roll out at Silverstone – after all the heartache and effort over the winter – and to see it do a series of laps and not break down!
“Secondly, the 1-2 in the Melbourne Grand Prix, where nobody expected us to do well. I was testing at Loton Park and trying to listen to the race on the radio, and then Jenson and Rubens Barrichello crossed the line to take first and second places – it was surreal.
“Finally, winning the championship in Brazil, it was tense watching the last few laps but a great feeling when Jenson took the title. The whole team were absolutely delighted and extremely grateful for the support of family and friends during the high and low points of the year.
“My own racing exploits started with karting in 1989, followed by joining my father Charles in hill climbing in 1999 with a Saracen FF2000 car. We then commissioned our current car, an F3 Dallara fitted with a Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle engine, and started competing in 2004.
“We have owned and developed the car over a number of seasons now, are both members of Hagley and MAC car clubs and regularly compete at Loton Park, near Shrewsbury and Shelsley Walsh, near Worcester.
“The highlights of my hill climbing career have been watching my dad achieve his lifelong ambition by breaking the ’30 second’ barrier at Shelsley Walsh, followed by me qualifying for two national event Top 12 Run Offs.
“Motorsport must be in our family blood as great grand father, Cyril Williams, was an Isle of Man motorcycle TT winner in 1920 and my grandfather, Ben Williams, was a competitor and commentator at Shelsley Walsh in the 1950s.
“With Michael Schumacher now confirmed as joining us here at the renamed Mercedes team and several new developments on our family hill climb racer, I am really looking forward to a thrilling 2010.”
Charles Williams added: “Since 1984 when I started in motorsport James has always been part of the ‘team’ and to see him go on to be part of the amazing success at the Brawn GP team has made me extremely proud.
“We really enjoy our ‘father and son’ time together on the hills and share the driving and maintenance of the car, but still retain that slight edge of competition between ourselves.”
Loton Park Hill Climb celebrates its 50th Anniversary in 2010 and venue organisers Hagley Car Club, which celebrates its own 75th Anniversary, is planning a series of special events, in conjunction with landowner Sir Michael Leighton, throughout the year to celebrate the occasion.