Williams officially confirms Mercedes engine deal

Williams will use Mercedes engines from 2014, it has been announced today.

The confirmation is no surprise and was reported on Crash.net prior to Sunday's F1 2013 Monaco Grand Prix [see separate story - HERE]. The length of the deal was not confirmed, although the two parties did say it is for the 'long-term'.

"Under the terms of the agreement, Williams will be supplied with a Mercedes-Benz Power Unit (Internal Combustion Engine plus Energy Recovery System) by Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) based in Brixworth, UK. Williams will continue to manufacture its own transmission," read a media statement.

The decision to switch from Renault powerplants to those from Mercedes precedes a major change in the engine regulations that will, from 2014, see teams use 1.6-litre turbocharged units as opposed to the 2.4-litre engines currently utilised.

"I'm delighted to announce our new association with Mercedes-Benz for the 2014 F1 season and beyond," said Williams F1 team founder and team 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 F1 deputy team principal, added: "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."