The one driver they have to help is not funded well enough to deserve a drive. Not at Williams. I see Williams in a distinct vice. With financial pressure on 1 side and the car and its lack of skilled/veteran drivers on the other. To attract sponsors they need results which bring money to assist in development. They have no real skilled feedback in the car to bring results. Sad.
If Williams back is truly up against the wall what do they have to lose by giving Kubica more seat time? He can provide technical feedback that their other drivers cannot.
I agree, so now it seems their choice is to put Kubica in the car for Practice 1 every race, to gain set up knowledge at the expense of more seat time for Sirotkin! This could lead to a Williams/Sauber battle for 9-10.
I really thought after getting that boost from decent prize money a couple years ago that they'd be back. They take two steps forward, three or four steps back. Even when they aren't suffering from their car, they blow it strategically. I think it's unfair to say they're not competent, but point more to just how complicated and sophisticated F1 has become. It's not big things anymore... it's the hundreds and thousands of little things that accumulate and set the tone for a team.
There was probably more to the story, but the opening race a few years ago when Bottas hurt his back I thought it was a no-brainer to put Susie Wolff in the car instead of only running one car. Maybe she didn't have the Super License, but then why would any team be at a race with only 1 licensed driver available? Easy for me to say since I'm not in F1, but that just seemed odd.
I remember that. I literally just assumed she'd be in the car. It really made it seem like having these women involved with the team was purely as a token gesture... dare I say... a novelty. That was disappointing.
I read Karun's report on Autosport. Seems Ferrari have a bit of work to do before Melbourne. At times Melbourne seems a bit of a test since it is the first race. The reporting in and around testing overall paint a picture we are used to in general. Mercedes have a good package it would appear out of the box for this year. Last year the fave was Ferrari and its driveability after testing.
Karun is a fair guy. If Ferrari was the favourite at the moment he would have said it like last year during the preseason testing.
Ferrari and Red Bull set to fight it out as I see it so far. Williams and Sauber at the opposite end, which really saddens me as I like Williams. Paddy doesn’t do them any favors as I hear he is not a very likeable nor a particularly key individual. It seems Williams just want to survive and continue to go racing rather than move up the field. Clare might be sinking her own ship.
+1 Williams attract quick money but no sponsors for long term development. Its a team, on appearance, with a decaying future
The people in the factory are not very motivated atm. They've got a bleak outlook. They all know Stroll by now, they know he can't get the maximum out of a car. Sirotkin, though unproven in F1, is hardly promised to be the next Schumacher/Senna. They're demoralized because they know whatever they'll build, they're unlikely to see it live up to it's potential.
