New Williams CEO Jost Capito has admitted that he is still very much in touch with former owner Claire Williams as he is acclimatising to life at his new team.
The Williams family sold the team last year and Capito was instated as CEO in December last year.
Capito said it was imperative that he ensured the feeling of family remained at Williams. This was one of the primary reasons he was seeking help from the past owners.
“Since I was unable to attend Grove, I arranged meetings from half an hour to 45 minutes. Meetings via Teams, video calls with all managers,” Capito explained to Motorsport Netherlands.
“I have now done more than fifty and I have asked everyone the same time and time again.
“One question was, ‘What should we cherish and why?’
“And the answer was invariably – whether new co-workers or people who have been there for a long time – that Williams is all about family, how we treat people, how people are treated, and how we work together.
“I was really happy to hear that from everyone, because that’s my management style. You have to operate as a family. That doesn’t just mean fun times.
“We all have family and not every day is fun. But it does mean a very strong bond: you do everything for your family.”
Claire ran the team as deputy team principal under the watchful eyes of her father Sir Frank. Capito said their advice has played a major role in recent times.
“I am in contact with both,” confirmed Capito.
“With Claire and with Patrick. I’ve known Claire for a few years now and Patrick I’ve known for a long time.
“It’s not that I’m trying to extract background information from them about this or that. We talk about things I want to know, things I need to know. I have a very good relationship with both.”