Williams readies major Suzuka upgrade in F1 battle with Ferrari
Williams believes aerodynamic upgrades plus recent operational success, combined with circuits that should suit its 2014 Formula 1 car, should help carry the fight to Ferrari in the world championship
Williams is locked in a close battle with the Scuderia for third in this year's F1 constructors' title race.
The British team holds a nine-point edge following the recent Singapore Grand Prix, where Williams finished fifth with Felipe Massa on the sort of twisty street circuit that has not suited the FW36 this season.
Williams has an aerodynamic update scheduled for this weekend's Japanese GP at Suzuka, and performance chief Rob Smedley reckons this, coupled to his team's improving form on the operational side and a track layout that should better suit its car, is reason for optimism.
"We're really, really getting on top of tyre management," Smedley explained.
"I think the tyre management in Singapore helped us immensely.
"You saw a great example of that with Felipe, and Valtteri [Bottas] - even with a broken car - was able to manage tyres.
"The way we were able to extract probably above the car performance in qualifying, via the tyre management we do, personally, I'm immensely pleased with all the science and the experience and the engineering that we put in there.
"Going to Japan that stands us in really good stead.
"In Russia I think the [tyre] compounds are reasonably conservative; I think that will stand us in really good stead.
"We're also going to tracks now that have much bigger power effect, much bigger drag sensitivity, so we're really, really optimistic."
SUZUKA 'BIG TEST' FOR FERRARI
Ferrari finished fourth in Singapore with Fernando Alonso, who qualified closer to the dominant Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton than at any other race this year.
The Spaniard said this weekend's Suzuka race would be a "good test" of whether Ferrari's improved form can be sustained for the championship run-in.
"Hopefully we can continue like this," Alonso said.
"Obviously it's just a hope and we need a normal circuit.
"Suzuka will be a good test for us to see if we are in a good form or not.
"We'll see. We would like to keep improving the car and get closer to the leaders."
Share Or Save This Story
Autosport 75: How Verstappen scored his first F1 win
The supercharged Revolution that has piqued an Olympic legend's motorsport taste
How Radical revamped its record-breaking flagship model
"We love V8s" - What F1 manufacturers think about future engine regulations
How Leclerc’s hardest critic is always himself
Why some F1 team bosses think drivers shouldn't have a say in the rules
Title-winning BTCC Peugeot and Harvey in an MG among Touring Car Rewind: North highlights
MotoGP Barcelona test: Acosta fastest as rain curtails running early
Why this year's Indy 500 isn't as straightforward to call as you might expect
Will Mercedes or McLaren land the next punch at F1's Canadian GP?
Subscribe and access Autosport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
Top Comments