Rob Smedley says Williams must be wary of slipping down the F1 order

Williams has been the second fastest team behind the dominant Mercedes outfit for the last two races, and was its closest challenger in Canada too until a pitstop problem for Felipe Massa and ERS issue for Valtteri Bottas intervened.

Williams is fourth in the constructors' championship and trails Ferrari by just three points heading into this weekend's German Grand Prix at Hockenheim.

Smedley reckons Williams will have to keep up the pressure "in every single area" in order to continue carrying the fight to the Scuderia while remaining ahead of the likes of McLaren and Force India.

"I think it would be quite remiss for me to say Williams has the second fastest car and it will remain like that," Smedley said, when asked by AUTOSPORT if recent form suggested the FW36 was now fundamentally the second-fastest car in F1.

"I think it's so tight in the midfield that it can swing either way and you can go from having the second fastest car to the fifth fastest car very easily.

"You [need to] keep the pressure on in every single area - that's how you end up with a car able to win races and eventually comfortably win races.

"You have to keep your feet on the ground and be respectful of your competitors and respectful of every single circuit you go to, and we absolutely are.

"That's my philosophy, it's a Pat Symonds' philosophy as well, and it's a philosophy I pass on to the team."