"Ir ou estar no Dragão, é o mesmo que ir ou estar na casa e no coração de todos e cada um de nós, pois todos somos o Dragão, símbolo do nosso clube e da nossa cidade."
Williams will use Mercedes engines from 2014 onwards after announcing a long-term deal with the German manufacturer on Thursday. The British team's deal coincides with the introduction of new, 1.6-litre V6 turbo engine regulations next season.
Under the terms of the agreement, Mercedes will supply Williams with engines and the associated Energy Recovery Systems (ERS) which are able to deploy ten times more energy than the current KERS.
Williams, who have used Renault engines for the past two seasons, will continue to design and manufacture their own transmission.
“I’m delighted to announce our new association with Mercedes-Benz for the 2014 Formula One season and beyond," said Williams team founder and principal Sir Frank Williams. “Mercedes-Benz has been one of the sport’s most successful engine suppliers and we believe that they will have an extremely competitive engine package.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Renault for their continued hard work since we renewed our engine partnership at the beginning of the 2012 season. We have enjoyed a strong relationship that has resulted in much success over the years, including powering us to winning ways once again last year at the Spanish Grand Prix.”
Claire Williams, Williams deputy team principal, echoed her father’s sentiments: “The announcement of this partnership is exciting news for Williams. Securing the right engine supply partnership is a key milestone in the implementation of our strategy for long term success.
“We are also pleased to conclude this agreement early in the season and we very much look forward to working with Mercedes AMG HPP in developing our 2014 race car.”
According to Toto Wolff, executive director of Mercedes, the deal is beneficial to both parties: “The proud heritage of Williams and the company’s commitment to technological excellence make it a perfect long-term partner for Mercedes-Benz under the new powertrain regulations.
“It is a win-win situation for both Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) and Williams, which will ensure HPP is able to supply at least three teams on a long-term basis under the new regulations and could open interesting new perspectives for technology transfer. We look forward to enjoying much success together over the coming years.”
Mercedes are the fifth engine supplier that Williams have worked with in the last 15 years. Previously they have been supplied by BMW (2000-2005), Cosworth (2006 and 2010-2011), Toyota (2007-2009) and Renault (2012-2013).
Thursday's announcement means Mercedes will power four teams on the 2014 grid - Force India, McLaren, Williams and their own works squad. Renault have already confirmed they will supply Red Bull and Toro Rosso next year, with a third team to be revealed shortly.
“We have stated on numerous occasions that we would supply up to five teams if there was a requirement to do so, but this would not make sense economically or be ideal for our resources,” said Jean-Michel Jalinier, President of Renault Sport F1.
“Three, or up to four, teams is the ideal for us so the departure of Williams normalizes the situation and makes things much clearer from our side. We will announce the next team within a matter of days, and then confirm the final stage before the end of June. We remain incredibly motivated about the challenge of the 2014 engines.”
"Azul, branca, indomável, imortal, como não pôr no Porto uma esperança se "daqui houve nome Portugal"?"