In a Formula 1 team, there is what you see – the drivers, the cars, the team leaders, etc. – and everything you don’t see. Frédéric Brousseau is responsible for the 1,200 people from the Williams team who fall into this second category.
It is on the welcoming little terrace of the Williams headquarters, in the paddocks of the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit, that your representative of The Press spoke with the native of Sainte-Thérèse on Thursday afternoon.
It’s been a year since Frédéric Brousseau made the decision to leave his position as vice-president of operations at Pratt & Whitney, which he had held for 25 years, to become head of operations at Williams. A change of life which obviously required adaptation. His wife and four children remained in Candiac, while he flew to Oxfordshire, where the Williams factory is located.
In addition to adapting to distance and English life, he had to familiarize himself with his new working environment. If the role he occupies is as big and important as the one he filled at Pratt & Whitney, another element came into play: English.
“It was very difficult because the accent is complicated. […] At first, I sat in meetings and understood absolutely nothing. For an hour, I listened to the meeting. At the end I was like, “What were they talking about? I can’t not understand what they’re saying!” »
Where he quickly found his comfort was in his role as head of operations. Brousseau is used to having hundreds of employees under his responsibility. As head of operations, he is the one who ensures that the equipment is delivered on time for the race weekends.
“If there are two cars here at the end of the week, it’s because there is a team of 1,200 people back who delivered them, who repaired them, who made sure that they met the quality specializations. »
In other words, Brousseau manages “the business side of the organization.” No small task, certainly, but nothing he’s ever done.
PHOTO OLIVIER JEAN, THE PRESS
Frédéric Brousseau
The role I had at Pratt & Whitney may have been less public, I had less exposure, but I had an organization 15 times the size of Williams.
Frédéric Brousseau, head of operations at Williams
“In some ways, my current job involves more pressure and stress. When we perform or not perform, we see it quickly. When things are going well and when things are not going well, we know it every weekend. And everyone knows it. […] It’s just different. »
Brousseau always loved Formula 1, but he was never a supporter. Today it’s the same thing. His role relates to the business aspect. “Am I proud? Yes, I am very proud because I really like the industry, the people in place and the organization,” he says.
At Pratt & Whitney, he was taught to be “modest.” In Formula 1, “it’s the opposite”. “The culture is very flamboyant,” he says. It’s the Formula 1 circus, but I haven’t changed. It’s just packaging that’s different, but when I go to work in the morning, I’m the exact same person. I make sure my employees are happy, I spend time with them, I walk around the factory every day. »
” I am happy “
Last year, at the Canadian Grand Prix, Frédéric Brousseau had only been on the job for a month. He was in observation mode. This time, he looks at things differently. He ensures, for example, that the changes made within the mechanics team work well.
“I see the racing team a bit like my client. When I speak with Alex [Albon] and Logan [Sargeant], I ask them if there are things that we can modify from a quality point of view. I speak with the engineers. Now I have a discussion understanding a lot more about the product. »
During the race, his role is mainly to watch how everyone is working. The watchword: operational efficiency. “I see all the inefficiencies,” he said.
It is obvious that the Quebecer is enjoying his still new role, even if he does not know how long he will occupy it, job security not being exactly the characteristic of Formula 1.
“Formula 1, we know it when we arrive, but we don’t know when we leave,” he says correctly. “That’s it for everyone and I’m ready for that.” I accepted it when I took up my position at Williams. For now, I’m very good, I’m very happy and I’m taking it one year at a time. »
In the right direction
After a 7e place in the constructors’ championship in 2023, Williams currently finds itself in 8e rank. The team has a slim collection of 2 points, courtesy of Alex Albon. Off the track, Frédéric Brousseau is optimistic about the future of the team. He notes two “external signs” that things are moving in the right direction. First, Albon’s two-year contract extension. “If we weren’t going in the right direction, Alex had other options. » Then, the signing of new partners. “If we succeed in convincing new partners, it is because they believe in what we are accomplishing and in the future of the organization. » Internally, the culture “is starting to change”, according to the Quebecer. “The level of leadership in the organization is changing a lot. We have raised the bar in terms of expectations. The organization is beginning to respond with encouraging signs. We have implemented continuous improvement systems at the factory, so we resolve problems rather than tamping them down simply to think about the next weekend. »