Claire Williams contemplating 'difficult decisions'
- Published on 17 Jul 2018 09:47
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- By: Jeroen Jonkers
Sergey Sirotkin has given more details about his biggest problem with Williams' 2018 car.
While the car is obviously uncompetitive, both the Russian driver and his teammate Lance Stroll have also complained about the seating position.
"A think a lot of time has passed now so no one will argue if I tell you," Sirotkin told the Russian publication Drom.
"The seat was never perfect but the main problem was the seatbelts. After the start of the race, they relaxed and at some point if I didn't fall out of the car it was good."
It is a sad indictment of the once-great team, with Sirotkin further explaining that "Almost nothing we have planned or hoped for has worked out" in 2018.
Williams' last champion, 1997 title winner Jacques Villeneuve, told a German publication that the team is effectively "dead".
A spokeswoman told La Presse: "We will not comment on that."
But insiders have scolded Williams' current management team, led by Paddy Lowe and Claire Williams, and predicted the obvious necessity for change.
Claire Williams, who admits the 2018 car is "pretty horrible", told the New York Times: "If anyone had told me last season that what we are going through now was coming, then I would have been horrified.
"We never saw it coming. It's like experiencing grief."
When asked about the need for change, she answered: "You are constantly looking at the team you have to ensure it operates as effectively and efficiently as it can, and that does sometimes involve some difficult decisions."
Technical boss and shareholder Paddy Lowe, however, played down the need for structural change.
"I have some really great people around me," he said. "There are some reinforcements needed, but we have the core of a really great team, so I think we are in a position to start turning in the right direction."
For Williams, though, it's more personal, having been entrusted with the health of the team by her father, founder Sir Frank Williams.
"Dad has really put his trust in me. I'm always worried he is going to tell me to go home, but he doesn't," she said.
Claire gave birth last October, but admits that plans to take time off in 2018 to spend time with her first child have been deferred.
"This year was supposed to be my time and to enjoy my little boy and husband, and I haven't been able to do that," she said.
"I'm going to give it a damn good go, but then winning isn't easy. It takes a huge amount from within you to be successful, and at the moment I'm testing myself to see whether I have that within me."
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Replies (8)
Login to replyRindtchamp
Posts: 304
The only thing she should be contemplating is handing in her resignation.
talktohenry
Posts: 362
It's F1's fault if a great team like Williams struggle, budgets are the issue again and we will wait until another team goes bust, before we stop this sill spending spree on technology which nobody uses in road cars anyway.
KyalamiKid
Posts: 146
Maybe so, but that doesnt explain why Williams is behind Toro Rosso, Haas, and especially Force India and Sauber , whose budgets are smaller than Williams' , and in the case of Force India and Sauber also do not have the support from a big 'sister' team
ajpennypacker
Posts: 2,475
Claire needs to resign. She needs to do it ns to give enough time to prepare for next season. This season is dead. But at least it could be used as restructuring and people would understand that.
Bhurt
Posts: 320
I don't really see what would improve if she left. Replace the people who designed the car instead. Start by getting someone who can design proper seat belts.
JAEmmitt
Posts: 1
Frank created his own legacy. Nobody can add or detract from it. Go raise your kid. Agonizing over the mental and physical demands of a come back from where you have arrived is futile and foolish.
blade
Posts: 341
Time to hand over to another, change has to come from the top otherwise it's window dressing. How does a team that was a serial winner turn to a serial loser - I don't get it - even when Ferrari were weak, they weren't the worst - something's not right and its not just technical, its more holistic. The staff at Williams need to fight for something, they need a new wave of optimism that won't come with staying with the status quo.
Ram Samartha
Posts: 1,172
There's no denying that things have taken a turn for the worse with her at the helm. Paddy has a much more solid track record. Leave Paddy and get someone who is successful in the business of F1 to handle the business side.