Williams F1 have reportedly sold their engineering subsidiary for a lucrative sum

Williams F1 has reportedly sold its subsidiary Williams Advanced Engineering for €195 million. The engineering subsidiary was founded by the team's founder Frank Williams in 2010.

Williams Advanced Engineering is a technology and engineering services business. The company provides world-class technical innovation, engineering, testing, and manufacturing services to deliver energy-efficient performance to customers. It is credited with building the batteries for the first generation of Formula E cars.

The subsidiary was bought by Australia's second-richest person, billionaire Andrew Forrest. The Australian is the current non-executive chairman and former CEO of Fortescue Metals Group, the fourth largest iron ore producer in the world. Forrest claims the deal is an important step in making his company fully carbon neutral by 2030, saying:

“This is the race of our lifetimes – the race to save the planet from cooking. The speed at which we move matters. Together FFI (an off-shoot of his main company) and WAE will work to decarbonize Fortescue – with the aim of achieving that faster and more effectively than anyone else in the world. This is a historic moment in the future of our company as we welcome the WAE family into the Fortescue family.”

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F1's push for sustainability reportedly paving way for Audi and Porsche

Automotive giants Audi and Porsche are reportedly set to enter the sport in the second half of the ongoing decade. With negotiations between top lawyers already underway, fans can expect to see the two German manufacturers in the sport at the dawn of the new engine era in 2026.

As per the Managing Director of Motorsports for the F1 group, Ross Brawn, the ongoing push for sustainable racing within the sport is one of the key factors in garnering the interest of the two brands. He said:

“In 2026 at the latest — and maybe even earlier — you will have to race with a sustainable fuel, in other words, a net carbon zero fuel. So, the way that fuel is made, is produced, has to be net carbon zero. And this will be a plug-in fuel that you would be able to put into a road car, so it’s another weapon in the fight against the environmental challenge. But that’s actually why we’re seeing manufacturers take a much stronger interest in the sport because they can see the value of that involvement, and it’s no secret to say Volkswagen with Porsche and Audi are having a very close look at F1 and that’s one of the reasons why they’re interested.”

As per CAR magazine, the current plan is for Audi to pair up with McLaren, supply engines, and make additional components for the team. Meanwhile, Porsche will team up with Red Bull and their junior team AlphaTauri.

Since there has been no official confirmation from either party, however, it is still unclear whether the two giants of the car industry will make the move into F1.