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1977
Williams was founded in 1977 by Frank Williams and Patrick Head. The company was based in an industrial unit in Didcot, Oxfordshire, and, with 17 staff, set about designing racing cars to contest the FIA Formula One World Championship.
1978
By the start of the 1978 season, the first Head-designed Formula One car, the FW06, broke cover, financed by a portfolio of Saudi Arabian sponsors and driven by the talented Australian driver, Alan Jones.
1979
1979 marked Williams' first significant milestone when Clay Regazzoni won the team's home race at Silverstone. Jones picked up the baton and went on to win a further four Grands Prix during the remainder of the season.
1980
In 1980, Jones, partnered by Argentine Carlos Reutemann, led the team beyond the achievements of winning races to claiming their first Constructors' Championship and, in the process, earned himself a World Drivers' title.
1981
Jones and Reutemann extended the team's success into 1981. The pair collected 95 points over the season, enough to collect a second Constructors' title proving the previous year wasn't just a flash in the pan.
1982
In 1982, Finn Keke Rosberg replaced the retired Alan Jones. Although unable to claim what would be a record third consecutive Constructors' title, Keke won a closely fought World Drivers' Championship.
1983
1983 marked the start of Williams' association with its first true engine supplier, Honda. In a bid to stay on level terms with the manufacturer teams, it was essential that Williams availed itself of the nascent turbo technology.
1984
1984 proved to be a steep learning curve with the new turbo technology. The team did, however, claim its first win with Honda in Dallas which proved indicative of things to follow. Meanwhile, the team moved to a new facility in Didcot.
1985
In 1985, Keke Rosberg was joined by Nigel Mansell to campaign the first carbon-chassis race car designed by Patrick Head, the FW10. The season was a portend of what was to come, with both drivers sharing four race wins.
1986
By 1986, the Williams-Honda partnership on paper was adjudged to be the pick of the bunch. Nelson Piquet had replaced Keke Rosberg and, together with Mansell, the pair claimed nine GP victories and Williams earned its fifth World title.
1987
The riches continued in 1987, with Piquet claiming another Drivers' crown. Combined with Mansell's efforts, Williams claimed a fourth Constructors' Championship and established itself as the most successful team of the decade.
1988
A re-group in 1988 following Honda's departure, involved signing the Italian, Riccardo Patrese, and marshalling resources for the medium term. The strategy paid off in July when the company signed a three year deal with Renault.
1989
By 1989, the FW13 was developed for the prized V10 French engine, and Thierry Boutsen scored the partnership's first win in Canada. With Patrese, the pair put the team back to a more familiar second place in the Constructors' table.
1990
1990 started well but did not bring an improvement over '89 and the team ended the season in fourth place. In a twist of fate, Mansell was persuaded to reconsider his retirement plans and was back in the cockpit by November.
1991
In 1991, Mansell and Patrese proved to be a winning combination in the FW14. As such, the pair took the fight to McLaren; although the team came off second best, they scored seven race wins on the way.
1992
The tide turned in 1992. From the one-two finish at the start of the season, the team romped to a record year in which Mansell won his only title. To date, the FW14B is regarded as one of the most sophisticated racing cars ever built.
1993
Success was repeated in 1993 in partnership with Renault, albeit with Alain Prost and Damon Hill piloting the FW15C to ten Grand Prix wins. Rookie Hill secured his maiden win at Hungary and Prost secured his fourth Driver's crown.
1994
1994 was marred by tragedy when Ayrton Senna was killed at Imola, an event which precipitated shock waves far beyond F1. It was testimony to the team's resilience, but no consolation, that they retained the Constructors' title.
1995
Coulthard's mature performance during the maelstrom of 1994 earned him a seat for 1995, partnering Hill. The Renault-powered pairing claimed five victories in the FW17s and Hill was the only genuine threat to Michael Schumacher.
1996
Jacques Villeneuve joined the team for 1996 and was to prove Damon Hill's sternest challenger. The pair shared 12 race wins, Williams earned an eighth team title and Hill secured the Drivers' crown.
1997
Frentzen partnered Villeneuve in 1997. A year which saw the Canadian beat Schumacher to the silverware and Williams celebrate 100 wins. A record-breaking ninth Constructors' World Championship was also sealed in Japan.
1998
An image overhaul in 1998 coincided with a change of fortune for the team. A change in the sport's technical regulations, combined with Renault's departure, left Villeneuve and Frentzen playing catch-up to the McLarens and Ferraris.
1999
A new driver line up saw the team field Ralf Schumacher and Alex Zanardi in the FW21s, but 1999 looked set to be another tough year. Ralf quickly established himself as rookie of the year, but the team only managed fifth place overall.
2000
2000 was ushered in with the promise of the new partnership with BMW. Ralf stayed with the team, but Zanardi gave way for Jenson Button. In their debut year, the partnership finished an extremely creditable third in the Constructors' table.
2001
2001 marked a step forward with Schumacher partnered by Juan Pablo Montoya. Ralf claimed the Williams-BMW partnership's first race win in San Marino. Ralf went on to claim two more wins with Juan securing his first victory at Monza.
2002
2002 promised much. However, despite an early win in Malaysia for Ralf, the season proved to be a hard battle with a potent Ferrari team. Williams finished the season as runners up, another step on from their record of the previous season.
2003
With a much-improved FW25, Montoya and Schumacher stormed to victory four times in '03. With both scoring points in 12 out of the 16 races, the team again finished second to the dominant Ferraris in the Constructors' Championship.
2004
The fifth season of alliance between Williams and BMW was beset with misfortune. The FW26 found a vein of competitive form as the season closed, however, which helped finish the year ahead of main rivals, McLaren, in 2nd place.
2005
The team broke cover with a new driver line up in Mark Webber and Nick Heidfeld. The duo scored a handful of podium finishes in a year that was turbulent on and off the track and which saw the team fall to fifth in the Constructors' stakes.
2006
2006 proved to be an unrewarding year in the battle against the manufacturer teams. Webber was partnered by Nico Rosberg but the pair struggled with their FW28s and collected just 11 points, putting the team eighth in the standings.
2007
In the debut year for the Williams powered Toyota, Nico Rosberg and Alex Wurz brought the FW30 home in fourth place in the Constructors' Championship, tripling the points tally from the previous season.
2008
Nico Rosberg was joined by newly promoted test driver, Kazuki Nakajima in 2008. Despite a drop to 8th place in the Constructors', the team still celebrated a major milestone year with 500 GPs, 50,000 racing laps and Frank's 600 race.
2009
The team retained Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima's services for the 2009 season. A consistent haul of points over the year moved the team up to 7th place in the Constructors' in one of the most competitive F1 seasons to date.
2010
The most experienced Formula One driver Rubens Barrichello and young rookie Nico Hülkenberg joined forces for the 2010 season. A consistent year moved Williams F1 one step forward in the Constructors' to sixth.
2011
The team retained the services of Rubens Barrichello for the 2011 season, with new recruit Venezuelan-born Pastor Maldonado signed up fresh from winning the GP2 crown to race alongside him. The team endured a challenging season finishing 9th in the Constructors’ Championship.
