Robert Kubica says a lack of spare parts is complicating Williams’ attempts at making progress, revealing his FW42 sustained floor damage early in the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
Williams has endured a dismal start to the 2019 Formula 1 season with the FW42’s debut delayed at the first test, and proving slow once it finally appeared.
Kubica and rookie team-mate George Russell qualified over a second off the pace in Australia and were marooned at the back in race trim, albeit with the Pole’s prospects dented by sustaining damage at the first corner.
On Thursday Kubica expanded further on Williams’ current struggles, pointing to a shortage of spare parts, with the drivers having to avoid heavy use of kerbs in order not to damage the FW42.
“I hope we will get better, I think in the difficult situation we are it’s extremely important to have some positive momentum and positive things happen in the team,” he said.
“The season is long and you need some positives for the people in the factory, mechanics, to see the light in the tunnel.
“From Barcelona often we are driving with the car that is, let’s say, not up to the best shape it can be.
“This is another factor which we have to make sure we get on top of it as soon as possible because it’s putting a driver in a difficult position.
“We are talking today, but knowing tomorrow the situation is like it is: you cannot go over the kerbs or you can go over the kerbs but the risk is that the car will fall apart and then you have no parts to fit them.
“It [the car] is already in, let’s say, a difficult performance or lacking performance and we are adding another factor which is complicating our lives.”
Russell added that substantial progress for Williams remains “quite far away” but that it still has to unlock gains from its current-spec FW42.
“The main limitation is aero and the downforce side of things,” said Russell.
“Obviously as things were rushed probably the quality isn’t up to their normal standard and we are lacking a bit in that department.
“I think our overall package is probably better than what we are showing at the moment.
“Not better that we will be moving forward but better that we will probably be a couple of tenths ahead.
“So even if we just made the most of what we have got than we will go forwards.
“There is certainly light at the end of the tunnel but that tunnel is quite far away and we’ve got to just not do anything drastic because at the end of the day, even if you are one of the top three teams you can’t just overcome that lap time in a day, a week, or a month.
“It’s a process and the team made it clear from the end of last year that this is a longer term project for them and they are not looking to short term.”
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