George Russell says Williams’ rapid pit stops in 2019 prove that the team is “not a bunch of idiots”, amid its on-track malaise in Formula 1.
Williams, having slipped to the back of the field last year, has regressed further in 2019, with its FW42 substantially off the pace of the rear of the midfield.
Neither Russell nor team-mate Robert Kubica have got close to escaping Q1 while they have not been in contention for points in race trim.
But Williams has set the fastest pit stop time across the last three grands prix, with mechanics servicing Kubica’s car in just 1.97s in France.
“I think obviously a Formula 1 team is a huge structure,” said Russell.
“And the fact is every person who comes to the race track, whether for Williams, Mercedes, whoever, their job is to maximise what they’re given.
“[The mechanics are] not the designers, they’re not the aerodynamicists or anything. So regardless if you’re fighting for first or last they still have the motivation to show they’re the best on the grid let’s say.
“And definitely the mechanics… it’d be easy for them to think ‘we’re not racing for anything’. It’s important to show we’re not a bunch of idiots.
“It’s not going well at the moment but there’s been a whole reason why it’s not been going well.
“There’s been a big philosophy change from last year to this year and quite often you have to take one step back to go three steps forwards.
“At the moment we’re still in the one step backwards phase but we’re trying to make three steps forward.”
Russell, who has a long-term deal with Williams, stressed that the team’s current slump will prove fruitful in the future.
“I wouldn’t say [the slump was] part of the plan, but it was expected, with the full restructuring the team had to make,” he said.
“We [knew] would have a very difficult start of the year. Obviously it wasn’t expected to miss winter testing and that again put us further on the back foot.
“But the positive thing, the motivating thing, is the team has a long-term vision.
“If you’re going to be in a difficult position next year or years down the line you need to build those foundations to sustain a good level. That’s what we’re in the process of doing.”
