Source: Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited

F1 News

Williams admit early hybrid success blindsided team

Williams admit early hybrid success "blindsided" team

11-09-2018 18:32
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Nicolás Quarles van Ufford

Williams deputy team principal Claire Williams has admitted that the team was "blindsided" by the team's early success in the hybrid-era, which is a big reason why they are currently in last place in the constructors' championship.

In 2014, the start of the current era of turbo-hybrids, Williams impressively finished in third place in the constructors' championship, a result which they replicated the year after. In the past two years, Williams finished fifth, which made the nose-dive of this season hard to take. The team is in last place, and has the slowest car on the grid, despite being powered by Mercedes, the championship-leading car.

"Probably we were somewhat blindsided that the success that we managed to achieve very quickly in 2014 from doing the work in 2013, and that was a big turnaround," Williams told Motorsport.

"We didn't do that, and I think the subsequent years of success blinded us to that issue that we probably had, so now we are addressing it."

The team will suffer a big financial blow after this season as well, with title sponsor Martini leaving the team, as well as Lance Stroll (it's unconfirmed but it's imminent), a driver with tremendous financial backing.

"It is definitely not the end," Williams countered.

"I think all sports team experience situations like we have had to endure this year, I don't think it is unusual.

"It is obviously extremely unfortunate and it is a very difficult process to go through, when you find yourself in this position.

"I am wholly optimistic that we are doing everything and that we can get out of this, and we are doing everything we can to make sure that we put the team in the best place in order to do that.

"We have to be realistic as well - going from P5 to P10 doesn't come about because you have got a couple of issues.

"So really the business at the moment – the team is going through an absolute overhaul and transformation in order to take us into 2019 in a better place."