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Williams reveal vacant Head of Aerodynamics role now filled

Williams team principal James Vowles has revealed that the role of Head of Aerodynamics at the team – a position that had been vacant for over a year – has been filled by Adam Kenyon.

The British engineer, who joined Williams in 2021 after working with Vowles at Mercedes as the outfit’s Aerodynamics Group leader, was promoted to his new position back in March according to the Williams chief.

David Wheater had relinquished the role in late 2022 amid an upper management shakeup at Williams that saw former team principal Jost Capito and ex-technical director FX Demaison depart the Grove-based squad ahead of Vowles arrival. Wheater is now Alpine’s aero technical director.

“Adam Kenyon is our Head of Aero – that was done without a big fanfare in March this year,” Vowles told F1.com. said. “I worked with Adam back at Mercedes and he was at Red Bull prior to that.

“He was chief aero but an extraordinary chief aero and, really, he was running the operation and doing a good job with it. I just wanted to make sure that he was able to take on the role because it was a large amount of addition to him.

“He’s doing brilliantly well with it. He’s restructuring and bringing in excellence and using the excellence we have to now not focus on one year but three or four years. And that’s a big change from what it was.

“We’re bolstering the team around him.”

Last year, Williams also recruited former Alpine CTO Pat Fry who now assumes the same role at the British outfit.

“In terms of Pat as CTO he’s doing a brilliant job. He’ll recognise as I recognise that there is so much to do. And you’ve got to be careful not to be pulled into the now and instead go into ‘let’s fix this long term’.”

©Williams

In Montreal, Vowles confirmed that a hiring spree was underway at Williams behind the scenes, with several ‘big names’ expected to join the team’s engineering department in the future.

These strategic signings will reportedly come primarily from rival teams at the end of mandatory periods of gardening leave for the individuals in question.

The influx of seasoned F1 veterans suggests a bold move by Williams to significantly strengthen their technical expertise.

Williams currently sit ninth in F1's Constructors' standings with 2 points, courtesy of Alex Albon's run to P9 in last month's Monaco Grand Prix;

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.

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