New Williams role for Stanford

(Williams Martini Racing)

Former Williams Martini Racing team manager Dickie Stanford has taken up a new position within the Grove based organisation. Stanford resigned from his position within the race team earlier this year in order to spend more time with his family.

It was announced on Tuesday that the 58 year old has been appointed general manager of Williams Heritage, a new division within the Williams team. Stanford will oversee the management and maintenance of the team's vast collection of old Formula One cars.

Speaking about Stanford's new role, team principal Sir Frank Williams commented:

'Dickie combines strong mechanical knowledge of our cars from his time as a mechanic, with first class operational and logistical skills honed as race team manager. He is therefore perfectly placed to take on the day-to-day operational running of our historic car programme and provide support to Jonathan [Williams] in ensuring that Williams' Heritage programme goes from strength to strength. I would personally like to add my thanks to him for his services to the team during his time as Race Team Manager.'

Stanford has been with the Williams Martini Racing team since 1985 when he joined the outfit a mechanic to Nigel Mansell. The Englishman spent 10 years in this role before taking up a factory based position with the team.

Stanford took up the role of race team manager in 2010 before resigning fro that position prior to the start of the 2014 campaign. Speaking about his new role with the Williams organization Stanford said:

'I have a lot of passion for the company and its heritage and the opportunity to take charge of our historic car programme is too good to turn down,.

With the formation of Williams Heritage as a distinct division within Williams, we will be well placed to ensure that our legendary cars continue to be well looked after and can be showcased to Formula One fans for many years to come.'

The Williams team head to Spain this weekend hoping to build on their extremely positive start to the 2014 season which has seen the Grove outfit collect points in all four Grand Prix of the season so far and the team will be hoping to continue this trend with the updates that they bring to FW36 this weekend. They are currently in 6th place in the Constructor championship on 36 points.

©Ben Johnston 2014