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Smedley planning to stay in F1 following Williams departure

  • Published on 14 Nov 2018 13:43
  • 5
  • By: Fergal Walsh

Head of performance at Williams Rob Smedley says that he is aiming to stay in Formula 1 following his exit after the 2018 season. The Briton recently confirmed that he would be departing the Grove squad, who he joined in 2014.

Smedley will serve a six-month gardening leave before he is eligible to return to F1 again. The former race engineer of Felipe Massa has been linked with a move to Formula E (where Massa will race in 2018/19), however he says he is planning on remaining in F1.

“I definitely want to stay in Formula 1," Smedley said. "Formula 1 is my passion, all my working life that I’ve been in Formula 1 and it’s still the pinnacle of motorsport. There are other series that are snapping at its heels, but it’s still got a lot to offer.

"Formula 1, we’re working on it all the time, it’s not the complete package. It has so much more potential than what you actually see. I do want to stay in Formula 1 on the technical side. I’m lucky, because I’m already talking to people and that’s a fortunate position to be in and we’ll just see where everything takes us.”

When pushed on where his next destination will be, Smedley replied: “I’m in a really fortunate lucky position that people want to talk to me so I’m talking and there’s absolutely no avenues closed off. “What I actually need to do is to at some point, towards the start of next year, is to get all the options on the table.

"And after having spent a little bit of time away from it and being able to look at things with a clearer head, slightly less fatigued, then I will make a decision. But until that point, I will see what the options are as they come in and go from there."

F1 News Felipe Massa Williams

Replies (5)

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  • calle.itw

    Posts: 8,527

    He probably have several options, and even if its not in F1, there are sure to be other doors open for the fella.

    • + 0
    • Nov 14 2018 - 15:58
  • mcbhargav

    Posts: 1,332

    I think, he might have an offer in hand before departing Williams. Wonder why it has to be secret, or is he shopping around after resigning, due to the 6 months clause.

    • + 0
    • Nov 14 2018 - 17:49
  • Vega23

    Posts: 17

    6 months gardening leave? Williams are worried that their inside knowledge of how not to do things might leak out? but seriously, good luck to the guy.

    • + 1
    • Nov 14 2018 - 19:09
  • RogerF1

    Posts: 501

    What I miss the most is the northern twang in his on-air comments to Massa at Ferrari.

    • + 0
    • Nov 14 2018 - 20:33
  • sadosalo

    Posts: 198

    F1 6 months rule, before he WikiLeaks, cant wait before the Williams the big design secrets to come out. Wait no that's not it, Rob Fathered Clair's baby, LOL

    • + 0
    • Nov 22 2018 - 02:21

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