The first notable potential victim of the coronavirus in the “Formula-1” became one of the oldest and the most renowned of its teams — Williams. She announced plans to sell a minority or controlling stake in its parent company in the background recorded after last year’s disastrous championship loss, and bad expectations associated with the breakdown of the race due to the pandemic.Yesterday the team of “Formula 1” Williams issued a statement, according to which the Board of its parent structure of Williams Grand Prix Holdings (WGHP) is considering a new “strategy” related to “capital raising”. They are selling either a minority or controlling stake WGHP up to the “sale of the whole company.” The statement clarifies that WGHP still have not received “no offers” and contacts with potential investors are limited to “preliminary negotiations” (as financial advisers they hired Allen & Co and Lazard). Claire Williams, Deputy chief Williams and the daughter of the founder of the “stables” Frank Williams, the remaining formal first person and the holder of the largest — 51,3% of the stock (the rest are in the possession of the partners of Mr. Williams brad Hollinger and Patrick head, the trust Fund, as well as in free circulation on the exchange), during the call said that it expects to complete the process “within three to four months.” The team representatives emphasize that in the present championship “Formulas-1” in any case, it will be. However, because of the pandemic coronavirus cancellation or postponement for an indefinite period were already approximately half the races of the championship, which is expected to start in July with the Grand Prix of Austria.Why is this news were among the most popular news of the week in the UK, it is easy to understand. Founded in 1977, Williams is one of the oldest and most titled teams of “Formula-1”. It was supported by such prominent racers as Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell. Its drivers won a total of seven championship titles and the team to nine constructors (for this indicator, it is ahead of only Ferrari).However, the success of Williams — it’s actually already quite a long history. In 1997, after the success of Jacques Villeneuve, it is the “Formula” did not win and was the best local — in the form of prizes at the Grand Prix stages. The team which stood for the giants, has gradually superseded private Williams first, second, and then third echelon series. In the two previous Championships, she took the last, the tenth place in the table of the Cup of designers.It is easy to understand, and why WGHP now decided to go for the sale of the team. The statement about the preparation for it was made against the backdrop PU��of likely the next financial report of the company for the year 2019. In this recorded decrease in revenues WGHP related to “Formula 1”, with £130.7 million last season to £95,4 million Loss team amounted to £13 million the severity of the financial position of Williams aggravated the departure of its key sponsor — ROKiT, practically coincided with the publication of the report.Commenting on these figures, the Executive Director of Williams, Mike O’driscoll attributed to them in the first place the General situation in the “Formula 1”, namely has emerged in recent years is too obvious “stratification” in the series. However, Mr O’driscoll acknowledged that “commercial rights” has decreased not only due to the decrease in the level of competition in the championship, but under the influence of the pandemic and it has triggered uncertainty with the immediate future of the series. And hopes to return to competition and the stabilization of the financial situation, according to Mike O Driscoll, are primarily in the strategy of the owner “Formulas-1” the companies Liberty Media.It meant the introduction of 2021 a new financial instrument — the “ceiling budget” teams: it is set at $145 million and will continue to decline gradually. The alignment, according to the calculations of Liberty Media, will contribute to some other novelties of the regulations that are planned to implement in the coming seasons.Alex Armor
