Williams faces criticism for special Spanish GP livery design choices

The Williams F1 team drew criticism on social media for a special livery unveiled for the Spanish GP weekend. The design recreates colors used on the FW07 car during the 1979-1982 seasons, which featured sponsorship from the Saudi-based Mohammad Binladin Organization. Commentator Will Buxton raised concerns regarding the association with the bin Laden family, particularly given the timing of the race weekend coinciding with the September 11 anniversary. The Mohammad Binladin Organization was part of a broader consortium providing sponsorship to Williams starting in 1979. While some fans label the livery choice disrespectful due to the historical connection, others argue the sponsorship pre-dates the notoriety of Osama bin Laden and that the family has disowned him. Williams has not publicly addressed the specific controversy regarding the livery color scheme or its historical origins.

• 6:30 PMYahoo Sports — Williams Faces Criticism Over Spanish GP Livery’s Historic Bin Laden Connection – What is it?