Carlos Sainz has explained how the FW47’s inherent medium to low speed weakness will be crucial to Williams’ prospects at Formula 1‘s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
The Grove-based squad’s run of point-less races extended at Interlagos two weeks ago, making it three races running where Sainz nor team-mate Alex Albon have scored.
The Spanish driver finished the 71-lap in 13th, after early-race contact with Lewis Hamilton compromised his afternoon. Albon, on the other hand, finished just outside the top 10.
After the race, Sainz singled out the car’s issues in medium to low speed corners as the biggest factor impeding its competitiveness in recent weeks.
“For me, as a team, it’s just important to understand how we can keep improving the weakness of the long, medium-low speed long corner that always compromises us,” he told media including Motorsport Week.
That said, looking forward to the race weekend on the iconic Vegas strip, the 30-year-old claimed this same medium speed limitation will work wonders for Williams.
In contrast to Interlagos, a track that requires more medium speed focus, especially in its middle sector, the Vegas street circuit offers longer straights and larger braking zones.
“Luckily, we have Vegas next, which is completely the opposite,” he said.
Sainz hopes to cure Williams’ limitation heading into Qatar
With only three races remaining this season, Williams is en route to equal its best-ever Constructors’ finish in the last 10 years.
With a 29-point advantage over Racing Bulls, the Grove-based squad currently occupies fifth in the standings with 111 points.
And while Sainz is confident that Williams will be able to field a better package at Las Vegas, he is wary that Qatar and Abu Dhabi could put it on the back foot once again.
With tight margins up and down the grid, Sainz reiterated that the team is working hard to ensure that it keeps itself in points-scoring contention until the end of the season.
“Probably the cars that were strong here will be weak in Vegas, and vice versa,” added the former Ferrari driver.
“As a team, we need to get on top of those issues which compromise, and will compromise Qatar. Keen to keep working as a team on that.”
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