Valtteri Bottas says Williams F1 team in best shape he's known it
Valtteri Bottas says Williams is in the best shape he has known since joining the team as a Formula 1 reserve in 2010
The Finn, who spent three seasons as test and reserve driver for the Grove-based outfit before becoming a race driver in 2013, reckons the arrival of technical chief Pat Symonds last season, plus ex-Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley recently joining as head of vehicle performance, has helped transform the team's prospects.
"I've been a test driver since 2010 and this year is definitely the best since I've been here," Bottas said.
"All the right people coming in and many changes being made, how people work in the factory and communicate with the race team and everything, it's much better.
"I think one of the biggest [improvements] is that Pat joined us, I think he has been able to make a lot of changes to the team and I think that was very positive.
"Last year it was difficult to make any big improvements to the car, but this season is a big step from any previous year and I think that's because there's been more changes."
Bottas has already scored 24 points in four races this season, six times the number he managed across the whole of last year.
He is enthusiastic about the impact new arrival Smedley can make once he settles in.
"The first impression is very good because he has a lot of experience and already some ideas on what we can do better," Bottas added.
"I'm really looking forward to working with him more."
Sebastian Vettel gets new Red Bull Formula 1 chassis for Spanish GP
Jenson Button: Mercedes will be on top in F1 for months yet
Inside the Faenza facility where AlphaTauri’s F1 pragmatic vision is realised
AlphaTauri’s mission in F1 is to sell clothes and train young drivers rather than win the championship – but you still need a cutting-edge factory to do that. Team boss Franz Tost takes GP Racing’s OLEG KARPOV on a guided tour of a facility that’s continuing to grow
Connecting two of Ferrari's favourite F1 sons
Gilles Villeneuve's exploits behind the wheel of a Ferrari made him a legend to the tifosi, even 40 years after his death. The team's current Formula 1 star Charles Leclerc enjoys a similar status, and recently got behind the wheel of a very special car from the French-Canadian’s career
How a 30cm metal wire triggered open warfare in the F1 paddock
Porpoising has become the key talking point during the 2022 Formula 1 season, as teams battle to come to terms with it. An FIA technical directive ahead of the Canadian Grand Prix and a second stay appearing on the Mercedes cars only served to create a bigger debate and raise tensions further
Does Verstappen have any weaknesses left?
Having extended his Formula 1 points lead with victory in Canada, Max Verstappen has raised his game further following his 2021 title triumph. Even on the days where Red Bull appears to be second best to Ferrari, Verstappen is getting the most out of the car in each race. So, does he have any weaknesses that his title rivals can exploit?
How F1's future fuels can shape the automotive sector
In 2026, Formula 1 plans to make the switch to a fully sustainable fuel, as the greater automotive world considers its own alternative propulsion methods. Biogasoline and e-fuels both have merit as 'drop-in' fuels but, equally, both have their shortcomings...
The breakthrough behind Sainz’s best weekend of F1 2022 so far
OPINION: Carlos Sainz came close to winning in Monaco but needed that race’s specific circumstances for his shot at a maiden Formula 1 victory to appear. Last weekend in Canada, he led the line for Ferrari in Charles Leclerc’s absence from the front. And there’s a key reason why Sainz has turned his 2022 form around
Canadian Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
Plenty of high scores but just a single perfect 10 from the first Montreal race in three years, as Max Verstappen fended off late pressure from Carlos Sainz. Here’s Autosport’s assessment on the Formula 1 drivers from the Canadian Grand Prix
Why “faster” Ferrari couldn’t beat Red Bull in Canadian GP
On paper the Canadian Grand Prix will go down as Max Verstappen’s latest triumph, fending off late pressure from Carlos Sainz to extend his Formula 1 world championship lead. But as safety car periods, virtual and real, shook up the race Ferrari demonstrated it can take the fight to Red Bull after recent failures