8682 F1 RACING MAF1 RACING AUGUSTY 2018 2019adds Williams. “Haas has half the workforce,but
makes half thestuff. We’ve probably notbeen
quick enoughto respondto those circumstances,
or we neverhad the foresight to see them coming
and have been slow to react as a result.”
While there is an acknowledge ment thatthings
need to change, the teamis caught in limbo
waiting forthe 2021 technical regulationsto be
determined.In mid -June the FIA announcedthe
regs would not be p resented until late October.
The delay is to prevent teams running three
concurrent engineering pro grammes and to
preventbette r resourced squadsfrom gaining
an advantage. The downside is that delayingthe
announcement of the regulations means Williams
can’t immediatelyact on changing itsinternal
structure. Ifgreater collaboration between
teams is allowedand the ‘Haas model’ is given
greater freedom in theregulations,Williams
can downsize its 700 employeesaccordingly. In
contrast, onthe otherside of Motorsport Valley,
Racing Pointis al so w aiting onthe rules, ready to
upscale the operation with newpremisesif they
go in a certaindire ction.
Williams adds thatgreaterfinancial
restrictions, such as a cost capand a more
equitable distribution of prizefund,will put the
team in a muchstronger positionand would
reducethe need to find driversto help witha
shortfall inbudg et. Tothe team’s credit, it has
found a ne w title sponsor this year,inRo kit,
and has a profitableside business inWilliams
Advanced Engineering.
Aside from the future direction of the sport and
the redistribution of income,Williams reite rates
that technical leadershipmust beprioritised
on the most important aspect of theoperation:
the car. Thefocus of design,engineering and
assembly needs to be onaspect s that improve
performance above all else.“We knowwhat the problems are and we
know how to fix them,” says Williams. “I feel
there islight and there is more focus on the car
and howit’s performingat the track. It’s very
easy to l ose that focus with a big workforce who
predominantly don’t go to races andthey just see
their bit in isolation, such as tunnel numbers or
the simulator – that’snot going to work. Nothing
else matters more than laptime.”
While the FW42isst ill at the back of the
grid, performance gainshave been made since
the sta rt of t he season and they arecontinuing
with every race.
“I do feel there is a mindshift at Williamsso
peopleare focused on the ca r.Wh ere we qualify,
where wefinish t he race, how quickly we’re
lapping – that’sall anyone should care about.
What are the driverstelling us ab out the car,t he
brakes, steering?That’s whatneeds to be fi xed.
Progressis b eing madeand you’ll see that over
the comingmonths.”In its youn g British driver GeorgeRussell ,
Williams has a future star inthe ma king. His
performances against Robert Kubica have been
impressiveand h e is dil igent, smart and offers
good technical feedback, despitehis inexperience.
Kubica, too, isextremely determinedand
pushesthe teamto extractthe ma ximum
performancefrom the car.It’s not the easiest
season for this once great team, but there is no
desire from Williams orthe senior management
to do anything but try to turnfortunes around.
With a resetin so many areasfor the team, this is
the nadir fromwhich it should startto rise again.
“Headingto ev ery race knowing you’regoing
to be last isdifficult,” adds Williams. “Yetit feel s
like we’re a start-up now withnew drivers, a new
sponsor. But I wouldn’t be doing thisifI didn’t
think we c an come out the other side. Thisiswhy
Williams is so loved. Wedon’t give upwhen times
are tough. We have always had difficulttimes but
we keepgoing –we’re in F1 becausewe lo ve it.”Williamshasaplantomovebackup
thegridbutiswaitingtodiscoverwhat
shapethe2021regulationstakebefore
finalisingtheprecisedetails“I do feel there is amind shift at
Williams sopeople are focused on the
car. Where we qualify, where we finish
the race, how quickly we’re lapping–
that’s all anyone should careabout”
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