Williams has signed former Ferrari engineer Antonio Spagnolo in "an effort to bolster performance" for the rest of 2016.
Spagnolo, previously Head of Tyre Performance at Ferrari, has been appointed Competitor Analysis and Performance Concept Team Leader for the Grove team. Williams has fallen away from the front of the grid this year and is currently engaged in a battle for fourth position with Force India.
Williams says Spagnolo's new role "is focussed on augmenting car performance". The team hopes his previous role at Ferrari will help him bring a greater understanding of tyres to Williams. Spagnolo will work underneath Rob Smedley, the current Head of Performance Engineering.
Technical chief Pat Symonds said: "Williams is determined to continue the positive momentum it has had since 2014 and, with new additions to the team, hopes to become even stronger. We are constantly seeing ways to improve our performance and trackside operations and believe Antonio will make a valuable contribution to this process. As a team, we will do our utmost to achieve our on-track ambitions and secure strong positions in the Constructors' Championship this season, and beyond."
Since joining Ferrari in 2005, Spagnolo has also been race and performance engineer for Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso.