No updates for Williams: 'Focus on the new rain tyres'

As rain has been pouring down from the Italian sky for hours, teams are preparing as best they can for the likely wet Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix. Williams, too, is looking forward to the first race in Europe this season. Unlike Mercedes, for example, the British are taking hardly any updates to Imola.

The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is basically piloting a new qualifying format. Teams will have to use hard tyres in Q1, mediums in Q2 and soft tyres in Q3. "We have opted not to bring significant new items to this event", said Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance at Williams in a press release from his team. "As well as fewer sets of dry tyres this weekend, we also have the introduction of a new Pirelli wet tyre, which will run without heating blankets. Given the weather forecast, this may become very relevant this weekend."

Weather of decisive factor

If it does indeed rain heavily this weekend, the qualifying set-up will be dropped. In that case, the drivers will run on rain tyres, which from now on will not require tyre warmers. "I think the weather is going to be the other determining factor this weekend", Alexander Albon realised. "It’s a great track and one of my favourites on the calendar. Ultimately, I think we’ll need to leave room for some randomness and unpredictability with how it looks everything is going to play out, but let’s see how we go."

For teammate Logan Sargeant, it will be the first Grand Prix on mainland Europe. The American has also seen the weather forecast. He expects it to be a "tricky weekend". "But it’ll be nice to drive an F1 car in the wet for the first time", said Sargeant, who also indicated he is keen to drive in Imola.