Williams launches £1m legal action after historic F1 car goes missing

Williams has initiated legal action against former garage director Peter Thorpe after a historic 2001 FW23 Formula 1 car vanished without explanation. The British racing team originally loaned the car in 2015 to Autotech Performance Ltd in Telford, but when Williams sought its return in 2021, the company did not respond and later entered liquidation. Williams is demanding either the immediate return of the vehicle or financial compensation exceeding £1 million to cover its loss.

Williams alleges that Thorpe wrongly claimed ownership to liquidators and had the rare car removed from the premises. Thorpe denies claiming ownership, asserting the car was still present when he was last on-site in summer 2021, while his legal team notes he suffers memory issues following a 2018 stroke. Williams values the FW23, driven by Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya, at £750,000.