Valtteri Bottas believes the opening few races of the 2014 season have begun to show where Williams’ weaknesses are.
The team went in to the new year as favourites behind Mercedes, but those results have yet to materialise, with Bottas’s fifth in Australia their current highlight.
“Sundays have not been a complete success for us,” Bottas told MTV3. “Certain things, like strategy, have left [a lot] to be desired.
“[Our top-speed] also reflects a weaknesses of our car. Maybe we have a little less drag than the others, because we also have less downforce.
“Sometimes, what we gain on the straight, we lose in the corners.
“But we think really good results are still to happen, hopefully as soon as possible.”
The team are one of four using Mercedes power unit which is highly regarded as the most powerful, reliable and fuel efficient. However Williams are last of the Mercedes-powered teams in the championship.
Bottas is hopeful that they can capitalise on their engine advantage before their rivals catch-up – something he says is gradually beginning to happen.
“Especially in Melbourne we felt that the engine was a definite advantage,” he explained.
“But the difference was smaller in Malaysia and Bahrain, as the others are developing all the time.”
Discussion about this post