No chance of Williams becoming a 'B team' in F1 - Capito

Williams Racing boss Jost Capito says the British outfit is determined to remain independant in the future and has no interest of becoming a manufacturer's "B team" in F1.

Recent speculation has linked Williams with Renault in the future, a potential partnership that would strengthen the French manufacturer's presence in F1 and also help improve the development of its own Alpine team.

However, Capito has suggested that the cogitations are wide of the mark, not only because Williams has strengthened its technical collaboration with engine supplier Mercedes, but especially because the British team is against forging an alliance with an OEM (Original equipment manufacturer) in F1.

"Our clear objective is to remain an independent team and not being bought by any other team or by an OEM because we see the future in the sport," said Capito.

"Williams has always been independent, and what we see [as] A and B teams, for us a B team is a team that doesn’t have an independent ownership, it has some ownership from an OEM or another Formula 1 team.

"By that definition we don’t want to be a B team, we want to be an A team because racing is our core business and should stay our core business and independent from a manufacturer who decides to be in or out that would challenge our existence."

• Read also: Williams recruits ex-VW motorsport man Demaison as technical director

Capito revealed that Williams' contract with Mercedes runs for "a couple more years", and said the British outfit will rely on the German manufacturer's powertrain for its all-new 2022 contender. A decision he says that does not undermine the team's independence.

"We have a good relationship with Mercedes, and we have a contract that goes still a couple of years," he explained. "And we respect this contract, because we are very happy with the relationship.

"I don't see in the future that teams will do their own engines, so you'll always need an engine. And then you can discuss, is a gearbox part of that?

"The engines and the gearboxes are made together by the manufacturer, when you look at Mercedes, for example. And that's where we came to the conclusion, it makes sense to have the whole powertrain from '22.

"But we still see that as being independent. Independent is when you can choose the partners you want to work with."

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