Williams makes bold move, poaches key engineer from Mercedes

Williams has poached Dan Milner, a senior engineer with 14 years of experience at the Mercedes F1 team, to become its new Chief Engineer for Vehicle Technology. The move signals Williams's aggressive intent to accelerate its technical development and climb the grid, while simultaneously stripping a key technical figure from the reigning world champions.

Why it matters:

This transfer is a significant statement of intent from Williams and a notable loss for Mercedes. For Williams, hiring a senior engineer from the sport's most successful modern team provides crucial expertise and knowledge to fuel its ambitious rebuild. For Mercedes, it represents the departure of a long-serving, experienced figure who contributed to multiple championship-winning projects, potentially weakening its technical depth.

The Details:

• Dan Milner spent 14 years at the Brackley-based team, working through its iterations as Honda, Brawn GP, and Mercedes, and was involved in Research & Development and powertrain programs.
• In a statement, Milner said it was "the right moment to take on a new challenge" and cited Williams's "clear, ambitious plan" as a key reason for the move.
• Williams Technical Director Matt Harman emphasized Milner's experience in turning ideas into on-track performance and leading major technical programs, stating he will be "central to our vehicle technology plan."
• The announcement coincided with confirmation that Red Bull's highly regarded race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase will join McLaren in 2028, highlighting a continued shuffle of top technical personnel between leading teams.

What's next:

Milner's immediate task will be to integrate into Williams and begin applying his Mercedes-honed expertise to the team's 2026 car project and beyond. His hiring is a clear part of Williams's multi-year strategy to return to competitiveness. For Mercedes, the focus will be on managing the knowledge transfer and ensuring its own technical pipeline remains strong despite the departure of a veteran employee.