Williams F1 Team Pursues Million Pound Lawsuit Over Missing Historic FW23 Racing Car Williams is suing former garage owner Peter Thorpe for the return or payment of a rare 2001 Grand Prix car that disappeared after being loaned to Autotech Performance. The prestigious British Formula 1 outfit Williams is currently engaged in a high-stakes legal battle against a former garage owner, seeking the recovery of a missing historic racing vehicle or a payment of one million pounds. The center of this dispute is the FW23, a rare Grand Prix car from the 2001 season, which was famously piloted by world-class drivers Ralf Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya. This particular machine, one of only nine ever produced, represents a significant piece of the team's heritage and sporting history. In 2015, the Williams team entered into a formal agreement to loan the vehicle to Autotech Performance Ltd, a firm based in Telford.The arrangement was intended to allow the car to serve as a prominent showpiece within the garage, providing an opportunity for enthusiasts and clients to admire the engineering marvel of the early twenty-first century. For several years, the arrangement appeared to be successful, but the relationship soured when Williams attempted to reclaim the asset. In October 2021, the racing team contacted Autotech to terminate the loan agreement and request a formal inspection of the vehicle.However, their inquiries were met with a wall of silence. During this period, Autotech Performance Ltd entered voluntary liquidation and was subsequently dissolved. Legal representatives for Williams, led by barrister Richard Clegg, allege that the former owner and shareholder of the business, Peter Thorpe, acted dishonestly during the liquidation process. The claimant asserts that Mr. Thorpe wrongly informed the liquidators and a professional valuer that he was the rightful owner of the car, claiming he had purchased it personally.Williams contends that the vehicle was removed from the premises under these false pretenses, effectively vanishing from the public eye and the team's inventory. In response to these serious allegations, Peter Thorpe, now fifty-eight years old and residing abroad, has mounted a vigorous defense. His legal counsel, Duncan MacPherson, argues that the businessman cannot be held responsible for the disappearance of the car.A central pillar of the defense is Mr. Thorpe's health; he suffered a stroke on October 7, 2018, which resulted in significant cognitive impairment. Because of this medical condition, he claims he has a poor memory and cannot recall specific conversations with the liquidators or the valuer. He maintains that he never explicitly claimed ownership of the car because he was fully aware that such a claim would be untrue.While he admits the car was present at the premises as late as August 2021, he denies knowing its current location or who might have removed it after he ceased managing the business on June 30, 2021. Beyond the question of the car's location, there is a significant dispute regarding the actual valuation of the asset. While Williams values the FW23 at approximately seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds, Mr. Thorpe's defense disputes this figure.They argue that the vehicle provided to the garage was merely a show car, lacking a functioning engine, which would substantially reduce its market value compared to a fully operational racing machine. The legal proceedings have been filed at the High Court in London, though a full trial has yet to take place. A spokesperson for Williams has emphasized their commitment to recovering the vehicle, stating that they have full faith in the legal system to resolve the matter.The case highlights the complexities of loaning high-value heritage assets and the legal challenges that arise when corporate entities dissolve while still holding third-party property.