Williams has announced a new technical partnership with Thales, the leader in critical information systems, cyber security and data protection.

As part of the agreement Thales will deliver state-of-the-art cyber security solutions for real-time global telemetry transmission to both Williams Martini Racing and Williams Advanced Engineering, the engineering services and technology division of Williams.

Thales designs, develops and operates resilient and high-performance critical information systems supported by its 2,000 cyber security experts and world class data protection and digital trust management solutions, protecting mission critical data anywhere data resides. Cyber security, especially data protection, is of the utmost importance in the competitive world of Formula One.

The expertise brought by Thales will assist Williams in protecting its confidential high-value data. Thales Datacryptor 5000 delivers high speed data protection with state-of-the-art throughput enhancement and low latency to ensure high assurance, real-time global telemetry transmission from the pitlane back to Williams' headquarters. Furthermore, with an increasing number of projects being undertaken for external customers through Williams Advanced Engineering, data protection and security has become a priority across the Williams Group.

Speaking about the new partnership Marc Darmon, Executive Vice-President, Secure Communication and Information Systems for Thales said; "Thales is a world class cyber security expert and a globally recognised systems integrator, delivering safety and security critical systems in challenging environments such as Aerospace, Space, Defence, Finance, IT and Technology and Ground Transportation. This agreement builds on the already strong existing relationship between our two companies and our combined skills and expertise. It clearly illustrates Thales's commitment to accompany its clients in their digital transformation where cyber security is a vital requirement."

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal and Commercial Director of Williams, added; "Williams has undergone a significant digital transformation over the past two years. We are revolutionising our IT infrastructure to make sure that we are well placed to continue innovating. With the help of Thales, we will be introducing cyber security systems that keep our data secure from wherever we are in the world."