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LONDON, England - Mike Coughlan has started work at Williams by making a heartfelt apology to his former employer McLaren and rival Ferrari for his involvement in a spying controversy that rocked Formula 1 in 2007.
The Briton has joined the struggling former World champion team as chief engineer and is lined up to take over as technical director when Australian Sam Michael leaves at the end of the 2011 season.
Coughlan was sacked by McLaren after he was found to have a 780-page dossier of secret Ferrari information in his possession and Ferrari dismissed Nigel Stepney, a British engineer accused of passing the information to Coughlan.
The so-called Spygate affair saw McLaren penalised with a record $100-million fine and the loss of all their Constructors' points that year.
RETURN TO F1
"I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to everyone who was affected by my conduct and in particular the people at McLaren and Ferrari and the fans of those teams," Coughlan said in a Williams question-and-answer session on his first day at the factory.
"I sincerely regret my actions and I fully accepted the penalty given to me by the (International Automobile Federation) FIA. I can only hope that I can earn back everyone's respect."
Coughlan, who has been working with Michael Waltrip racing in the US Nascar series, said the scandal had been life-changing and made him reflect on his actions.
"Leaving a team and a sport that I love and then seeing the consequences of my actions on the team and its fans was devastating," he said. "All I can do now is work hard to try to earn back my place in F1."
'GOOD PEOPLE'
Williams, winner of nine Constructors' World championships from 1980 to 1997, has not won a race since 2004. The team is ninth in the 2011 F1 standings with only four points from seven races, all scored by Brazilian Rubens Barrichello. The other driver is Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado.
Coughlan said the team had good people who should be achieving far better results.
"So while we will be bringing in a couple of new people, it's also a case of looking at the way we work," he said of the task ahead.
The Briton has joined the struggling former World champion team as chief engineer and is lined up to take over as technical director when Australian Sam Michael leaves at the end of the 2011 season.
Coughlan was sacked by McLaren after he was found to have a 780-page dossier of secret Ferrari information in his possession and Ferrari dismissed Nigel Stepney, a British engineer accused of passing the information to Coughlan.
The so-called Spygate affair saw McLaren penalised with a record $100-million fine and the loss of all their Constructors' points that year.
RETURN TO F1
"I would like to take this opportunity to apologise to everyone who was affected by my conduct and in particular the people at McLaren and Ferrari and the fans of those teams," Coughlan said in a Williams question-and-answer session on his first day at the factory.
"I sincerely regret my actions and I fully accepted the penalty given to me by the (International Automobile Federation) FIA. I can only hope that I can earn back everyone's respect."
Coughlan, who has been working with Michael Waltrip racing in the US Nascar series, said the scandal had been life-changing and made him reflect on his actions.
"Leaving a team and a sport that I love and then seeing the consequences of my actions on the team and its fans was devastating," he said. "All I can do now is work hard to try to earn back my place in F1."
'GOOD PEOPLE'
Williams, winner of nine Constructors' World championships from 1980 to 1997, has not won a race since 2004. The team is ninth in the 2011 F1 standings with only four points from seven races, all scored by Brazilian Rubens Barrichello. The other driver is Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado.
Coughlan said the team had good people who should be achieving far better results.
"So while we will be bringing in a couple of new people, it's also a case of looking at the way we work," he said of the task ahead.