Tuesday 3 May 2011

Williams Announce Internal Restructuring

The Williams Formula One team - which has suffered it's worst start to a Formula One season in the team's long history - has announced that Technical Director Sam Michael will retire at the end of the season.

It has emerged that the team's Chairman, Adam Parr, offered his resignation as a result of their terrible performance this year so far, but that this offer offer was declined by team owner Sir Frank Williams.

However, the team has also announced a controversial appointment of a new chief engineer, that of former McLaren employee Mike Coughlan.
Coughlan was banned from the sport in 2007 for his part in the "spygate" scandal, by illegally obtaining technical information from Ferrari - this also resulted in the disqualification of McLaren, who in addition received a record $100 million fine.
Ferrari's Nigel Stepney was also banned for his part in the controversy.

Both Coughlan and Stepney have served the two year bans they received, and are therefore entitled to return to the sport. However, it does raise a question of whether they should return.
Ferrari in particular would not be likely to look upon the return of these individuals very kindly.

This announcement comes just weeks after Marussia Virgin confirmed that Pat Symonds - the former Renault team member who was bannded for his part in the "crashgate" scandal, where Nelson Piquet Jr purposefully crashed his car at the Singapore Grand Prix - has been appointed as an advisor to the team.

Should these 'cheaters' be welcome back into the sport, having served their sentences, or should lifetime bans be introduced? Let us know your thoughts.

For more on this story, visit www.jamesallenonf1.com

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