The livery is a visual representation of how both Williams and Atlassian have survived and thrived in the face of relentless change since 2002 through harnessing the power of teamwork – and how both are determined to return the team to glory by pushing forward, together.
The one-off special design, unveiled by Carlos Sainz alongside Atlassian Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Mike Cannon-Brookes and 2002 Williams driver Juan Pablo Montoya, commemorates the year Atlassian was founded and showcases the shared histories and values of two teamwork powerhouses.
Co-founders Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar launched Atlassian with an idea and a $10,000 credit card debt, growing the company into the world’s leading provider of collaboration software used by more than 300,000 customers across the globe through relentless innovation and determination.
Williams was similarly founded by the legendary Sir Frank Williams and Sir Patrick Head in 1977, battling early financial challenges to become one of the top-three most successful F1 teams of all time with 114 wins, nine Constructors’ World Championships and seven Drivers’ World Championships through pushing the boundaries of technology and unerring resilience.
The two organisations joined forces at the start of the year to accelerate Williams’ mission to return to the front of the grid. The team is using Atlassian’s products and System of Work, a deliberate approach to teamwork that emphasises connecting all teams and leveraging AI to maximise impact and innovation, to help unleash its full potential and deliver on-track performance.
Examples include:
Prioritising the most important engineering projects according to the lap time they will deliver using Jira Product Discovery
Sourcing key data and insights from across the team using Rovo
Supporting staff with on-demand how-to learning for the most complex processes with Loom videos
Improving and accelerating machine repairs using Jira Asset Management
Williams is enjoying its best season since 2016, sitting fifth in the Constructors’ Championship, as the team continues with its comeback plan.
This weekend’s livery, unveiled at a special event at the Lone Star Ranch in Austin, was inspired by the striking blue and white colour scheme of the FW24 which battled the dominant Ferrari but ultimately finished 2nd in the 2002 title race.
At the hands of Juan Pablo Montoya it set what was then the fastest lap of any circuit in F1 history, setting pole position at Monza for the Italian GP with an average speed of 161.449mph (259.827km/h). It was also the only car other than Ferrari to win a race in 2002, driven to victory by Ralf Schumacher at the Malaysian GP
Mike Cannon-Brookes, CEO, Atlassian: “Atlassian and Williams were both founded on Teamwork. Our beginnings were similar – two mates with big ideas and a hell of a lot of passion, ready to do something big. So we're thrilled that Atlassian can now partner with Williams as they drive towards a new era of greatness, using technology to help power their move up the grid. This 2002-inspired livery celebrates both teams' legacy and the bright future ahead for Atlassian Williams Racing.”
Juan Pablo Montoya: “It is incredible to think about how much has changed in F1 since 2002 but the key ingredients for success have remained the same: teamwork, innovation and a relentless determination to succeed. Williams has always stood for these values and it is clear that in Atlassian they have a partner that shares them. The throwback livery on the car looks amazing and is a great way to celebrate the partnership with Atlassian and the team’s ambition to return to the top step of the podium.”
Carlos Sainz, Atlassian Williams Racing: “The FW47 looks incredible in this 2002 retro livery which I am sure will be a fan favourite and I can’t wait to drive it at Austin this weekend. I have seen first hand how Atlassian’s software and approach to teamwork is helping move the team forward, and I am excited about what the future holds.”
