1. Home
  2. Sports
  3. Formula 1

Patrick Head on the Williams Fight to Return to the Top of Formula 1

Head Speaks About his Own Evolving Role

By Brad Spurgeon, About.com

On how his life has changed recently at the team he helped found 30 years ago, and after handing over the title of technical director to Sam Michael:

In early May 2004 I stood down as technical director for Sam, and although I was still operating and working in a way supportive to Sam, I pulled myself out of quite a lot of the activities at Williams. I was still present, but I ordered myself a sailing boat, and I went and did some sailing and stuff.

But obviously with 2005, and then 2006 was a terrible year, with some encouragement from Frank, and also myself, I have sort of come back to spending much more time in a much stronger supporting role to Sam. Sam is still the senior executive engineer in technical terms, but I’m much more present than I was.

On whether the break changed his view of things at the team:

Well it wasn’t really a break. But certainly I don’t take our capability or the design of the vehicle personally. It enables me to have a much more detached view and probably play less of a, less of being the – I certainly don’t want to be a pessimist – but less of being continuously optimistic that we are going to do better at the next race. I think it helps me to see things a bit more pragmatically.

Explore Formula 1

About.com Special Features

Learn to Pitch

Strike out the competition with these step-by-step pictorials. More >

Introduction to Pilates

Learning Pilates fundamentals can help you get the most out of your exercise regime. More >

  1. Home
  2. Sports
  3. Formula 1
  4. Teams
  5. Patrick Head Interview - Patrick Head Williams Toyota F1 Team Director of Engineering

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.