Williams has announced the addition of the former Sauber Chief Operating Officer Axel Kruse to his leadership team in the role of main operation director.
Kruse has been to Sauber for the past 15 years and has previously worked as an engineer for BMW, where he treated Williams as a motorcycle supplier. His appointment comes instead of the current Williams COO Fred Brousseau, who, according to the team, will return to his native Canada later this year, and Kruse works together with Brousseau from 1 September until the departure of the latter.
“I am pleased to welcome Axel to Atlassian Williams Racing while we continue to invest in people, technology and infrastructure that are needed to reach our goal to return to the front of the grid,” said team head James Vowles.
“Axel is the newest top talent to participate with us from F1 Paddock and will continue the important work that Fred started to make our operations real championship level. I want to thank Fred for everything he did, and we all wish him well when he returns home to Canada.”
Kruse described the move to Williams as partially motivated by almost near-missor, because he worked with the team when it ended twice as a second place in the Constructors Championship under BMW Power.
“I am very happy to become a member of Atlassian Williams Racing and can’t wait to get started,” said Kruse. “Williams is an iconic Formula 1 team with enormous ambition and momentum, and I look forward to working with everyone at Grove to deliver success on the right track. As a young engineer, I saw first-hand the professionalism and passion with the team when we finished second in the championship of the Constructeurs-er is an ends.”
The departure of Bousseau comes after more than two years to help Williams improve his infrastructure, with the Canadian joined Pratt & Whitney at the beginning of 2023.
“After we have started our transformation trip in the past two years, we are now starting to see clear signs of progress – both from business results and the perspective of performance,” said Brousseau. “With this sustainable positive momentum that is now in place in the entire organization, the time feels good for me to return home and start the next chapter of my journey.
“I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together and, above all, grateful for the passion and dedication of the people – they are the true heart of Williams. Welcome to this team and the world of Formula 1 has been a real privilege. I will continue to cheer from Afar while Williams pushes his path back to the front of the grid.”
In addition to the addition of Kruse, Williams has announced a new role for former Alpine Technical Director Matt Harman, who will be promoted from design director to technical director of Engineering.
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