Williams: The fire's still burning

[davewilson]

Williams
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Nico Rosberg
Alexander Wurz


There is a quiet sense of optimism about Williams as the 2007 Formula One season approaches, with team members confident that their dismal 2006 will not be repeated.

Last year marked the Grove-based concern's worst campaign in almost three decades, a far cry from what the 16-time world championship-winning outfit has become accustomed to during its career in the top flight.

A mere 11 points were scored, but worse still was the similar number of mechanical failures that led to a spate of retirements from potentially points-scoring opportunities.

But team founder Sir Frank Williams is adamant lessons have been learned from the debacle, and that 2007 will produce a far more satisfactory outcome.

"Words are easy I know," he told Crash.net, "but I think this winter we have really moved forward with our technical abilities and our approach to re-achieving reliability. Those are two fundamental requirements to being successful, and I think there's a certain amount of justifiable optimism around the company that we have made a big step forward.

"You can never truly be sure until you see the car out on the track, but if it ain't quick enough straightaway we will just have to bring it back and make it quicker."

The initial signs, however, are promising, following an encouraging shakedown for the FW29 at Jerez last week and a great deal of hard work over the off-season to ensure the squad's Achilles' heel from 2006 - chronic unreliability - is firmly resolved.

A further boost has come in the shape of Toyota power, as the team looks - long-term at least - to reclaim its position among the sport's elite.

"We have spent a lot of time, mainly on aerodynamics, with the new car," Williams continued. "Certain technical areas of the FW29, including a new transmission, have been introduced, and the reliability of our systems internally, the people who operate them and the eventual reliability therefore of the car have been very closely re-examined and re-adjusted where necessary.

"We were told Toyota were very good people to deal with and they are indeed a pleasure to deal with, but very straightforward with it and clearly very competent in what they do.

"The engine is a bit of a work of art if you look at it closely. It's very well thought through, and we do look forward to enjoying what we hope will be a very successful partnership with them."

One area in which the British outfit should have few concerns in 2007 is its driver line-up, with Nico Rosberg being retained for a second year and Alex Wurz returning to full-time competition in the highest echelon after seven years on the sidelines as a test driver.

Williams has high hopes for both his charges over the upcoming campaign.

"Nico was short of experience and still very young last year," Williams stated. "He is a very intelligent young man - he qualified for a university entrance and turned it down to come and join us. He is a very determined person who takes no prisoners mentally. We expect great things of him, and we haven't been disappointed yet.

"Alex was a very good racing driver when he raced for Benetton until the end of 2000. I think there's a lot of racing desire left in him, the burning spirit. Technically he is really outstanding and he is a great team member who will do anything for the team. He is so easy to work with and I think he will deliver a lot, I really do."

Playing his cards close to his chest, Williams would not be drawn on his ultimate ambitions for the season ahead but is convinced it will bring brighter days than 2006.

"I would hope for total reliability and a useful number of places higher in the constructors' championship, without specifying a number," he asserted. "The fire still burns very brightly here, and it's not likely to go out for quite some time

The Stig