Steve Nielsen has been appointed Sporting Manager at Williams

Steve Nielsen has been appointed Sporting Manager at Williams with immediate effect.

Nielsen joins the Grove team from Toro Rosso where he had held the position of Sporting Director since 2013.

The 50-year-old has vast amounts of managerial experience having also previously been Team Manager at Tyrrell, Honda and Arrows and Sporting Director at Benetton/Renault and Caterham in a 27-year F1 career.

“I’m delighted to be joining a team of Williams’ history and stature in what is a very exciting time for everyone at Grove after a very impressive 2014 season,” Nielsen said. 

“In this role I will be able to help ensure that our operations at the race track are maintaining the highest standards and that we are maximising our performance at the race track from a sporting perspective. Williams’ has a very talented team of people and I’m looking forward to working with them.”

A resurgent Williams finished third in the 2014 Constructors’ Championship – their best result for over a decade – and Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds thinks the signing of Nielsen is another step in the right direction.

“Steve brings a wealth of experience of the sporting side of Formula 1 and will help us as a team as we aim to climb further up the Championship table," said Symonds, who worked alongside Nielsen at Renault.

"He has won World Championships in the past and knows what needs to be done on a sporting level for Williams to do this again. We have a talented and ever improving race team and with Steve on board we are well placed to make further operational gains next season.”