- 01 Oct 09, 08:23#159085
Williams look on track to have their best season since either 2004 or 2005, with only a single driver scoring all their points. However, the team has already admitted as much that they have tied off the 2009 season and are focusing on 2010.
So, here is some completely uninformed and random musings on Williams and their situation.
Drivers:
Abandoning the Toyota lump and jettisoning Nakajima as part of the package seems the most likely move. The best thing you could say about both is that they have been reliable, but unspectacular, (under)performers.
Kazuki’s year hasn’t been a good one, having consistently lagged his team mate by 4-5 places in qualifying and 5-8 places in race pace. He’s also put the car into the wall twice, both through driver error (from what I could tell). Where he will end up next year is anyone’s guess, although some informed speculation puts him at USF1 for a year, to clinch Toyota as an engine supplier.
Hulkenburg has already been confirmed as an option for Williams for 201, and looks likely to slot into Kazu’s seat. Whether he will be any better is yet to be seen, but a punt on an up-and-coming new driver could pay dividends for Williams (witness McLaren/Hamitlon and Torro Rosso/Vettel in recent years as examples).
The other Nico is reportedly due to perform a straight swap to Brawn with Rubens for next year, which I think will be fantastic for both sides. A new team, and a role in mentoring Hulkenburg, might be just the thing for the Brazilian. Although at the moment it appears to be something of a step backwards along the grid, I have a sneaking suspicion that Williams will be pushing strongly for podiums next year (although last time I though this, their Cosworth engines kept spontaneously combusting and the drivers kept running into each other…)
However, the old head/rookie combination is one that hasn’t really set the world alight for Williams recently, witness the Rosberg/Webber and R. Schumacher/Button parings of the last ten-years. The last time it was really successful was Prost/Hill in 1996, and then the car was simply better than anyone else in the field, only missing out on a podium in two races.
The lump:
Options seem to be:
Stay with Toyota. Reliable as a brick, but with only marginally better performance. The engine seems to be a little down on torque compared to some others, and its straight line speed doesn’t seem to be too good either.
The Williams (and Toyotas) have been consistently in the bottom half of the end of straight speed trap readings over year (noticeable exception of Turkey), indicating a lack of power. However, Williams have also favoured a high downforce set-up and aero configuration, so things may not be as bad as they seem.
Switch to Renault: Up in the air at the moment, as the whole Renault kerfuffle has made Renault’s position a little tenuous.
Still, the Renault lump has similar reliability to the Toyota, and probably more power. The Williams/Renault combination has been a world beater before, and a definite long-term engine contract could be another root keeping Renault in the sport.
Cosworth: Give the ability of Cosworth engines to eat themselves in 2006, I shudder to think what could happen if Williams goes back to Cosworth as a supplier. Still, with the potential of Cosworth supplying three teams, at least they won’t be the only ones suffering.
Aero and mech:
Williams is stirring the pot on KERS and brake pad issues, partly because I think they want to get their own way on other, less visible issues.
With minimal aero reg changes and no refuelling in 2010 I’m at a bit of a quandary as to how to asses their chances. I think the current car is VERY solid and doesn’t appear to have the tyre graining problems that have plagued some of the front runners.
If, as I suspect, the Williams is a strong downforce car, then I can see them doing well at the medium to fast circuits that are strongly aero dependent (Barcelona, Turkey, Nuerburg, Hungary, Spa, Suzuka and maybe Bahrain and Shanghai). However, the car doesn’t seem to like the stop-start and street circuits.
With high downforce and a chassis that appears to be good on the tyres, I’d forsee reasonable qualifying performance in 2010, say Q1 in most GPs, and then slow initial race pace and then very good pace towards the end of the race.
I can’t see Williams winning too much in 2010, but maybe they might crack the top four in the constructors next year.
Ok, enough rambling. Thoughts?
So, here is some completely uninformed and random musings on Williams and their situation.
Drivers:
Abandoning the Toyota lump and jettisoning Nakajima as part of the package seems the most likely move. The best thing you could say about both is that they have been reliable, but unspectacular, (under)performers.
Kazuki’s year hasn’t been a good one, having consistently lagged his team mate by 4-5 places in qualifying and 5-8 places in race pace. He’s also put the car into the wall twice, both through driver error (from what I could tell). Where he will end up next year is anyone’s guess, although some informed speculation puts him at USF1 for a year, to clinch Toyota as an engine supplier.
Hulkenburg has already been confirmed as an option for Williams for 201, and looks likely to slot into Kazu’s seat. Whether he will be any better is yet to be seen, but a punt on an up-and-coming new driver could pay dividends for Williams (witness McLaren/Hamitlon and Torro Rosso/Vettel in recent years as examples).
The other Nico is reportedly due to perform a straight swap to Brawn with Rubens for next year, which I think will be fantastic for both sides. A new team, and a role in mentoring Hulkenburg, might be just the thing for the Brazilian. Although at the moment it appears to be something of a step backwards along the grid, I have a sneaking suspicion that Williams will be pushing strongly for podiums next year (although last time I though this, their Cosworth engines kept spontaneously combusting and the drivers kept running into each other…)
However, the old head/rookie combination is one that hasn’t really set the world alight for Williams recently, witness the Rosberg/Webber and R. Schumacher/Button parings of the last ten-years. The last time it was really successful was Prost/Hill in 1996, and then the car was simply better than anyone else in the field, only missing out on a podium in two races.
The lump:
Options seem to be:
Stay with Toyota. Reliable as a brick, but with only marginally better performance. The engine seems to be a little down on torque compared to some others, and its straight line speed doesn’t seem to be too good either.
The Williams (and Toyotas) have been consistently in the bottom half of the end of straight speed trap readings over year (noticeable exception of Turkey), indicating a lack of power. However, Williams have also favoured a high downforce set-up and aero configuration, so things may not be as bad as they seem.
Switch to Renault: Up in the air at the moment, as the whole Renault kerfuffle has made Renault’s position a little tenuous.
Still, the Renault lump has similar reliability to the Toyota, and probably more power. The Williams/Renault combination has been a world beater before, and a definite long-term engine contract could be another root keeping Renault in the sport.
Cosworth: Give the ability of Cosworth engines to eat themselves in 2006, I shudder to think what could happen if Williams goes back to Cosworth as a supplier. Still, with the potential of Cosworth supplying three teams, at least they won’t be the only ones suffering.
Aero and mech:
Williams is stirring the pot on KERS and brake pad issues, partly because I think they want to get their own way on other, less visible issues.
With minimal aero reg changes and no refuelling in 2010 I’m at a bit of a quandary as to how to asses their chances. I think the current car is VERY solid and doesn’t appear to have the tyre graining problems that have plagued some of the front runners.
If, as I suspect, the Williams is a strong downforce car, then I can see them doing well at the medium to fast circuits that are strongly aero dependent (Barcelona, Turkey, Nuerburg, Hungary, Spa, Suzuka and maybe Bahrain and Shanghai). However, the car doesn’t seem to like the stop-start and street circuits.
With high downforce and a chassis that appears to be good on the tyres, I’d forsee reasonable qualifying performance in 2010, say Q1 in most GPs, and then slow initial race pace and then very good pace towards the end of the race.
I can’t see Williams winning too much in 2010, but maybe they might crack the top four in the constructors next year.
Ok, enough rambling. Thoughts?
look past his age and how he is driving to judge when he should retire.
- By darwin dali