Williams have hired Mike Coughlan as chief engineer while technical director Sam Michael and aerodynamics head Jon Tomlinson will leave after the season, the British Formula One team said on Tuesday.
Williams said that the former McLaren technical chief Coughlan will start his new job in June. It is his first F1 job since he had to serve a two—year ban for his involvement in a McLaren—Ferrari spying affair. Coughlan comes to Williams from NASCAR team Michael Waltrip Racing.
“Mike Coughlan is a fine engineer with extensive experience across Formula One and both civil and defence engineering,” said team boss Frank Williams. “He left Formula One in 2007 because of conduct which he acknowledges was wrong and which he profoundly regrets. His two—year ban from the sport expired some time ago and Mike is now determined to prove himself again.
“Williams is delighted to be able to give him the opportunity to do this and we are very pleased to have one of the most talented and competitive engineers in the sport helping us to return to the front of the grid,” Williams said.
“I am grateful to Williams for giving me this opportunity. My experience in 2007 was life—changing ... I am looking forward to returning to a sport which I love and to joining a team that I have admired for many years, said Coughlin.
Michael and Tomlinson will leave after 10 and five years, respectively, in order to give the team a chance to regroup in the wake of below—par performances.
Williams finished sixth in the 2010 season and are yet to win a point in the first three races of the 2011 campaign from drivers Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado.
The Williams team was founded in 1997 and has won seven drivers’ and nine constructors’ world titles, the last (in both divisions) in 1997.
