Williams won’t compromise 2022 car for 2021 gains

Williams has outlined that it will not risk the status of its 2022 project in order to make further gains in the current Formula 1 season.

Williams, which has finished last for the past three years, is in its first full season of new management, following Dorilton Capital’s takeover mid-2020.

It has installed Jost Capito as its new CEO while Francois-Xavier Demaison has joined as Technical Director, filling a role that has been vacant for two years.

Formula 1 is introducing revised technical regulations in 2022 and Capito has underlined that its focus must be on the upcoming overhaul.

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“It is a transitional season, ’21, and we are really focusing on the ‘22 car,” Capito outlined.

“We are not going to take compromises on the ’22 car because of the ’21 car.

“There is not so much more we can do on the ’21 car. We will fight through the season, we will push, we know where the car is.

“We will of course do further development but [only] what can be done without compromising the ’22 car.”

Williams comfortably out-paced Haas in Bahrain, with George Russell reaching the flag in 14th, while team-mate Nicholas Latifi failed to finish owing to a worsening boost problem.

Latifi, in spite of his race problems, has expressed encouragement that Williams’ FW43B can be in the mix more regularly this year.

“To be honest despite the difficulties in Bahrain, the car pleasantly surprised me in a few aspects, compared to how it felt at testing and last year,” he said.

“So it gives us a bit of hope and optimism going to a track [Imola] that has more stable conditions and from the layout should suit our car better.

“I’m curious to see how we’re going to perform and maybe get a truer feel of where we’re going to be for the rest of the year.”