Williams land Mercedes heavyweight Dan Milner in search of Formula 1 performance push

The Grove outfit confirmed in a press release today that Milner joins this week after a long spell in Brackley, where he built a reputation across multiple championship-winning programmes spanning Honda, Brawn and Mercedes.

Milner arrives with a deep pedigree. His career includes 14 years at Mercedes, contributing to a dominant era that delivered eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships, alongside senior roles in powertrain integration, transmission design and R&D leadership.

His most recent position as Chief Engineer for R&D saw him lead multidisciplinary development and test programmes, underlining the broad technical scope he now brings to Williams at a critical phase of its rebuild.

At Williams, Milner will take responsibility for vehicle technology, overseeing integrated performance development across hardware, simulation, testing and quality. The role is central to the team’s stated objective of accelerating development cycles and translating engineering concepts into measurable gains on track.

Milner said of his new job: “I’m thrilled to be joining Atlassian Williams F1 Team as Chief Engineer across Vehicle Technology. After 20 years of association with Brackley, it’s the right moment to take on a new challenge.

"Williams has a clear, ambitious plan to move forward, and I’m looking forward to bringing my experience and knowledge to help accelerate that journey. I can’t wait to meet the team, learn the organisation and get to work converting ideas into performance on track.”

Technical Director Matt Harman underlined the strategic importance of the hire, pointing to Milner’s track record in delivering performance through complex engineering programmes: “Dan brings broad experience and clear leadership. He has led major programmes across R&D and powertrains, turning ideas into performance, and he knows how to bring teams together to deliver.

"Dan will be central to our vehicle technology plan and to converting innovation into consistent performance gains on track, so we’re thrilled to have him on board as we continue our plans of bringing Atlassian Williams F1 Team back to the front of the grid," Harman added.

Beyond Formula 1, Milner’s experience extends into the America’s Cup with Ineos Britannia and the defence sector, adding further depth to his technical background.

For Williams, the appointment represents another key piece in a long-term technical rebuild, with Milner now tasked with ensuring that ideas developed in Grove translate into results where it matters most.