The AT&T Williams Formula One team announced today that it is to extend its technical partnership with QinetiQ, the international defence and security technology company. For the 2007 season the technical partnership will focus on aerodynamic analysis and driver performance, with QinetiQ drawing on its aerospace heritage notably in designing aircraft wings and optimising the performance of aircrew.

The alliance between AT&T Williams and QinetiQ commenced in May 2005. Since then the Oxfordshire-based F1 team has benefited from technical support from QinetiQ's scientists and engineers in the areas of aerodynamics, human performance, materials science, GPS technology and conformal antenna design.

For QinetiQ, Formula One has proved to be an important platform to communicate its standing as a world leader in the provision of ground-breaking technologies and the depth of its scientific skills base. The extension will see the QinetiQ logo remaining in its established position on drivers' helmets and provide further opportunities for QinetiQ to showcase its unique technologies to a global audience.

Of the partnership extension, QinetiQ CEO Graham Love said, "There is an important link between the aerospace and the F1 motor racing industries, and it is entirely appropriate that QinetiQ is applying its heritage in military and civil aviation to our partnership with the AT&T Williams team. Whether because of the demands of the Formula One race programme or the need to respond to the Urgent Operational requirements of the armed forces, AT&T Williams and QinetiQ also share an approach to technology development that puts an emphasis on the speed of innovation."

AT&T Williams Team Principal, Frank Williams, confirmed, "A significant part of our success is drawn from the skills of our partners and I am delighted that we have access to QinetiQ's rich talent pool of scientists and engineers. To date, QinetiQ has opened the door to several interesting technologies and this season's focus on human performance and aerodynamic analysis will bring QinetiQ's expertise to bear on optimising the performance of both our drivers and our racing cars."