Williams has appointed Pat Fry as its new Chief Technical Officer, the first major senior figure recruited by James Vowles.
Williams’ previous technical chief, Francois-Xavier Demaison, departed at the end of the 2021 season in conjunction with then team boss Jost Capito.
New Team Principal Vowles has been evaluating Williams’ managerial structure in the months since his appointment and revealed several weeks ago that a new CTO had been recruited.
On Friday Williams confirmed the recruitment of veteran Fry and he will begin at the start of November.
Fry started his Formula 1 career with Benetton in the late 1980s before spending a lengthy stint at McLaren through 2010, switching across to Ferrari for a five-year spell.
Fry was briefly involved with the ailing Manor outfit before re-joining McLaren in a temporary capacity, prior to taking up a position with Renault – now Alpine – in 2020.
“I am thrilled to be joining Williams Racing as Chief Technical Officer,” said Fry. “The team has a rich heritage in Formula 1, and I am excited to contribute to its future success.
“I believe in the team’s potential and, together, we will strive for excellence on and off the track.”
Added Vowles: “His knowledge and experience will further strengthen the team’s technical capabilities and pursuit of excellence as we build the next chapter of Williams.
“Pat has been a core part of winning teams throughout his career, he is one of the most respected experts in our industry and I’m excited to begin work with him when he joins in November.”