Williams ‘no longer had the energy' to run F1 team

Departing Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams admitted she no longer has the energy required to do the role justice after announcing her departure from the Formula 1 team after this weekend's Italian Grand Prix.

On Thursday it was announced that Williams would be stepping down from her role as deputy team principal, with the Williams family as a whole ending its involvement with the team after 43 years.

US investment firm Dorilton Capital acquired the team prior to the Belgian Grand Prix and has since confirmed Williams’ new board of directors.

Reflecting on her decision to step down, Williams told Sky F1 she no longer had the energy required to continue in the role after a difficult few years for the Grove-based team.

"I took a long time to think about what it would feel like to have new owners, if we did fully sell Williams, and what that would feel like for me," Williams said.

"I love this team, I've always loved this team, and I want to see it do well. But I think anyone, I hope, could understand that for me working for somebody else would be potentially enormously difficult. I've run this team as my team as seven years.

"You put blood, sweat and tears into something like I have for the time that I have, made the sacrifices doing what I've done. This is a hard, hard business. I've given it my all and I've done that because I've wanted to protect my family's legacy in this sport. I've done it because I'm my dad's daughter and I felt it was my duty to do it, so to speak.

"Now that it's not ours I don't feel that I could put the same amount of energy into it. The past few years have been incredibly tough. They have taken an awful lot out of me and, if I'm honest, I think that probably Dorilton need somebody that has more energy than I've currently got, somebody that is going to put in more than I can currently give it to take it forward.

"They're going to put as much as they can into it and they're going to want somebody that can take that and really drive it forward. I don't think I am that person."

Williams rose to power back in 2013 and led the team to third place in the constructors’ championship in 2014 and 2015, with numerous podium finishes.

She revealed that Dorliton asked her to remain in charge but ultimately felt like stepping away was the right decision to allow her to spend more time away with her family and to enjoy a break from F1.

"Dorilton asked me to continue," Williams added. "They asked before the sale was done, they asked after the sale was done, but I think a clean break is probably best for all around.

"It's a bit like ripping a plaster off - you can imagine how hard this decision has been. I wanted to achieve so much more in this sport. Unfortunately, it hasn't happened for me but I can go out of it knowing that I've done a few good things in this job.

"I haven't got everything right by all means but I think I can go out, hopefully, with my head held up high and I can see what else is out in the big wide world. And, most importantly for me, I can concentrate on being a wife and a mum for a bit, which I haven't done."