Leading heavy equipment manufacturer Komatsu has signed a multi-year deal with Williams Racing to become the principal partner of the British team from the start of the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship season.

Komatsu was a key partner of Williams Racing in Formula One during the 1980s and 1990s, a period of abundant success for the team. Komatsu GM: Mining Operations Hermann Hollhumer tells Mining Weekly in an exclusive interview that it is a rekindling of the relationship that Komatsu had with the racing team in the 1990s.

Williams Racing’s most notable achievements were in 1996 and 1997, when Komatsu supported Williams Racing to Constructors’ and Drivers’ Championships with Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve respectively. With an eye to the future, both brands are excited to build on their shared history as they embark on a new era.

“There are several synergies that we both aspire to and which align with Komatsu’s mission and vision on a daily basis,” says Hollhumer.

He notes that Komatsu will not only be a sponsor but will also contribute engineering expertise, pointing out that the machine manufacturer contributed some of the differential components when the Williams team won the Drivers Championship in 1996 and 1997.

Hollhumer says the companies’ shared vision, excellence, performance and reliability make for a great collaboration platform.

Tokyo-based Komatsu has been leading innovation in the equipment manufacturing sector for more than 100 years. As embodied by its brand promise, “Creating value together”, the company believes that collaborative partnerships are the optimal way to create a lasting positive impact.

Komatsu’s official designations with Williams Racing reflect the companies’ shared focus on the long-term development of engineering, technology and new generations of talent: Official STEM and Early Careers Partner, Official Esports Partner and Official Construction Machinery Partner. These areas will overlap and combine within the partnership, as Komatsu endeavours to engage and bring focus to the next generation of innovators through STEM events enriched by the Williams Racing e-sports platform.

Komatsu’s logo and branding feature prominently on the 2024 Williams Racing livery, as well as the team’s overalls and kit, for the upcoming Formula One season.

“Komatsu and Williams Racing have shared values around innovation and the development of our people,” said Komatsu Ltd president and CEO Hiroyuki Ogawa.

“Through our partnership we look forward to creating value together, both on and off the track. Our partnership with Williams Racing is aligned with Komatsu’s mission to create value through manufacturing and technology innovations to empower a sustainable future where people, businesses and our planet can thrive together.”

One of the driving forces behind the partnership was the alignment of vision that the two brands share. The characteristics embedded in Komatsu’s DNA and values, such as cutting-edge technology, outstanding quality and unwavering reliability, are all demonstrated by Williams Racing at the highest level of motorsport. This new partnership creates a foundation for cross-collaboration between Williams and Komatsu into the future, and Komatsu looks forward to working together across a range of disciplines, especially relating to the development of its people and exploring potential opportunities in the technical engineering ecosystem.

“Williams Racing is delighted to be rekindling our relationship with Komatsu. We have enjoyed huge success together in the past and reuniting is a significant step in Williams Racing’s long-term mission to return to the front of the grid. Both Williams and Komatsu are committed to attracting and developing the best young talent in pursuit of our goals and we look forward to working together again,” said Williams Racing team principal James Vowles.

Komatsu’s logo and branding will feature prominently on the 2024 Williams Racing livery, as well as the team’s overalls and kit, during the upcoming Formula One season.