I think it looks great, but I'm still not so sure about the results that they can get with it. http://www.formula1.com/news/5598.html
I think Wurz is a decent driver and I am glad to see him get another shot in F1. If the car has potential then I am sure Wurz will get it into the points. Rosberg, I am not so sure about.
It pains me to see Karthikeyan in there; I guess when you have so little cash to run a team that taking on a pay *test* driver makes sense, then perhaps it's time to roll up the whole lot and just go home and call it good. Sad, really, and quite heartbreaking as Williams was the last of the independents to make a very, very good go of it all. Williams is more about F1 than McLaren and Ferrari and Toyota and Honda will ever be; I love what Ferrari brings to F1, but F1 to me is all about the scrappy little guy that can work miracles with a shoestring and a roll of duct tape and sometimes bring home a podium or a championship despite everything working against them. It's sad to think that the best days of Williams are well behind them.
I'd be surprised it they make the top8 and Korr is prob on the mark about the best days are long past(atleast for the next couple of years). Williams has always been my No2 team, soo it's abit sad they are where they are at for the moment but I think they can bounce to atleast best of the rest around 09.
Interesting article by Chris Balfe about Williams here: http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_feature_item.php?fes_art_id=30476 I hope Williams do better this year. I've always liked Williams and hated McLaren.
Why does everybody view McLaren differently to Williams?. Both are race teams not manufacturers (okay McLaren F1 excepted). Yes Mercedes has a financial interest. Have any of you studied the Williams books?. All through there history there have been major companies with financial interests too ... McLaren was started by a legend called Bruce and he was right up there with Colin Chapman. Yes the team was taken over by Ron Dennis (Project 4 and Barnard effectively became McLaren thanks to Malboro politics and lack of direction by the McLaren team after Bruce's death. Teddy Mayer struggled on and yes they became winners after Bruce, but Bruce would have built the team into something like Lotus or even Ferrari had he lived) but all he has done is do the job better than Frank, especially lately. There is no difference. Both need and want funds to go racing at the top level, and both did what is required to get it. Williams simply have not designed a competitive car for too long ... thus is it the underdog thing of something. Frank is just as ruthless as Ron, infact he openly treats his drivers poorly ... Both Ron and Frank started out as mechanics and did the hard yards. Both have pretty poor 'racing' history themselves ... and both have done a fine job at turning nothing into very successful race teams!! Yes Ron has moaned at Ferrari ... hmmm, you don't think Frank would have been moaning if he could even see the back of the Ferraris, instead of battling with Minardis ... ? I do though hope Frank can turn things around but I think he needs to poach from the current top teams and probably get rid of Sam Michael ... Pete
Same was said about Ferrari not too long ago. Pluses; Toyota engines, tires will be the same for all teams, Patrick Head, Nico and Wurz are top 10 drivers. Yes, Karthikanen may not be in the same league but time on chassis is time on chassis and if you get paid for it , Why not ?
Wurz is a Fisi ... just goes around in circles. Never going to set the world on fire and shows the current position of Williams, ie. they needed somebody steady while they all prey for a lot of luck for Nico and the designer. Pete
In the earlier days of F1, it was factory and privateer teams. In the 60's you had the rise of the British "kit" car teams (i.e. fabricated chassis with a Cosworth engine). So, if you are trying bemoan the loss of "the good old days" I think the current status quo is a throwback to an earlier period (Auto Union, Mercedes, Alfa Romeo). It is not even a budgetary issue. Toyota is spending $400 Million/ year without much to show for it. To be competitive today, it seems to require an automotive manufacturer with the necessary funds as a pre-requisite. (Red Bull may have the budget, but weak results as well) You then need to execute strongly with the driver, the engine, chassis, aerodynamics, and pit crew strategy. Then maybe crack top three... At the current level of the game, you can not have those shoestring teams like Osella, Dallara, ATS, etc from the 80's in F1. Thats what GP2 is for...
Looks cool More pics here: http://www.motorsport.com/photos/select.asp?S=F1&E=Williams_FW29_launch/Presentation&Y=2007 I just hope they don't get in Kimi's way!! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
On Tuesday Wurz was 2nd in the FW29's debut! Is it that fast, or is just another piece of evidence that says anyone could top the testing time sheet if they do a light, hot, flying lap? Makes for great press but not necessarily great productivity.
