Claire Williams OBE – one of the most distinguished, respected and competitive women in world motorsport – will join DirtFish as guest speaker at May’s DirtFish Women in Motorsport Summit.
Best known for guiding Williams Racing to successive season-long Formula 1 podiums, Williams has worked in motorsport for more than two decades, helping shape and deliver diversity which culminated with almost one in five Williams Racing team members being female – a record in the F1 paddock at the time.
At the LeMay – America’s Car Museum, Tacoma on Saturday May 24, Williams will lift the lid on her stellar career to date as she shares stories from the very pinnacle of global motorsport. Delighted to be joining DirtFish’s Women in Motorsport Summit for the first time, Claire said: “Events like this Summit go a long way to open the playing field up to women and show them that motorsport is for everyone.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the event to talk about my experiences in Formula 1, but also to learn more about the world of rallying and the inspiring women participating in it.
“We all know the value a diverse workforce delivers; pushing hard here is critical. However, and perhaps even more importantly, creating a motorsport world that welcomes and supports women in their careers is just the right thing to do because everyone deserves the opportunity to pursue their dream and to fulfil it in a positive environment.”
Having started her career in the press office at Silverstone Circuit, the home of the British Grand Prix, Williams remained in the media when she joined Williams Racing as communications officer. She progressed to head of communications before taking on the role of head of investor relations before joining the board as director of marketing and communications.
Ultimately, she was named as deputy team principal in 2013, with her father Sir Frank Williams remaining at the head of the organization. Claire took control of the day-to-day running of the team and delivered third place in the constructors’ standings in just her second year in role.
She added: “When I first started working in motorsport in the early 2000s, most of the roles that females held were either in marketing, communications or hospitality. We were really pigeon-holed!
“That has changed considerably over the years; we now see more and more women holding jobs in engineering and aerospace, and more and more women are racing themselves across all of the motorsport disciplines.
“But far more needs to be done if the playing field is really going to level up.”
Claire has been instrumental in that process of change. While running Williams Racing, she brought world-class drivers Susie Wolff and Jamie Chadwick to the team and furthered the careers of women across motorsport. She has also worked alongside the UK government on its Women in Innovation campaign.
DirtFish Women in Motorsport co-ordinator Josie Rimmer is thrilled to be welcoming Williams to this year’s Summit.
Josie said: “When you look at women in motorsport who have worked at the very top, at the elite level and succeeded, you look at Claire Williams.
“Claire has spent her life immersed in motorsport. She’s seen and dealt with the sport on so many levels, including the insanely nuanced world of Formula 1 sporting and technical regulations. But there’s also her work on the commercial side of publicly listing one of the world’s most recognizable sports teams as well as the marketing and media angles.
“To have somebody like Claire with us takes the DirtFish Women in Motorsport Summit to a whole new audience. I’m so excited to have this woman who has shaped the careers of so many women across the field of motorsport in the room. Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one.”
The DirtFish Women in Motorsport Summit runs at the LeMay Museum, Tacoma, Washington on Saturday May 24. Stay tuned to DirtFish.com for details of how to secure your tickets to this once in a lifetime event.
