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Ahead of a sea of change in F1 with the new rules for 2022, this is what we can expect from Williams.
It's fair to say that the Williams F1 team hasn’t had an easy time of it in Formula 1 over the last few years. The team had comfortably the worst car in the field from 2018 to 2019, but progress was made in 2020 to the point the team could mix it with the tail-end of the midfield. However, the team failed to score a single point that year despite having an improved car. The 2021 season though saw a bit more of a renaissance from the Grove based squad in what has been a couple of years of change.
The team was sold in 2020 to American based Dorilton Capital, as Claire Williams and her father and team-founder, the late Sir Frank Williams, stood down from their roles. Former Volkswagen rally boss Jost Capito is now leading the team which jumped from tenth to eight in the constructors' championship in 2021, and even took a podium at the rain-affected Belgian Grand Prix, with George Russell. Russell has now moved to Mercedes as Alexander Albon replaces him, and Nicolas Latifi remains at the team for another year. Ahead of a sea of change in F1 with the new rules for 2022, this is what we can expect from Williams next season.
Williams must build on the foundations it laid in 2021. The car, the FW43B, was clearly an improvement over the FW43 of 2020, but it wasn’t a car that could regularly mix it with the points like an Alpine or an Aston Martin. It was though stunningly quick in Russell’s hands, particularly in qualifying, with Q3 appearances in Austria, Silverstone, and Spa the big highlights. That Spa appearance saw Russell take the front-row spot on the grid that allowed him to take the podium in the Grand Prix on Sunday.
Latifi was also able to score points, both in Hungary and Spa, and Williams had four points finishes in total in 2021. Whilst this wasn’t what a team like Williams wants, compared to the last few years it's been a major improvement. These are solid foundations for the team to build on, especially with the extra investment it has had thanks to its sale to Dorilton. There will no doubt be a renewed belief within the team that they can get the job done, jump up the championship standings. Everything they learned last season they need to take into the 2022 season.
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The driver pairing of Albon and Latifi is an interesting one. Latifi returns for a third year at Williams after improving further, and Albon makes his return to F1 after a year as Red Bull’s test and reserve driver. The two have been teammates before when they raced for DAMS in Formula 2 in 2018, and the two get on very well with each other. This will be key to a good team dynamic and atmosphere, something Russell and Latifi both had before Russell’s Mercedes move.
Albon will also have a point to prove after losing his Red Bull seat for 2021 to Sergio Perez. But the likeable Thai driver looks to be the right fit for the family like team of Williams, and team boss Capito very much believes in Albon and he could be the right man for the team long-term. If Latifi can keep on building, too, Williams will have a very solid pairing to drive them forward as they look to make it back into the midfield. It's an interesting pairing for Williams, but one that feels like it is right for them at the moment.
What Williams can actually achieve in 2022 is trickier to answer than it would be normally due to the big rule changes coming for this season. The cars are dramatically overhauled in a bid to improve the racing, with the cars having basically no carryover from 2021. Williams could then make a dramatic leap up the order. Equally, they could find themselves in the same place they are right now. It's all very much in the balance right now, but perhaps the question we should be asking is what Williams should achieve, not can achieve.
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Williams should in theory at least move into the midfield. They simply have to, to show that they are serious about rebuilding, and have made progress over the last couple of years. Williams have spent too long in the doldrums, and simply have to improve. They have two very capable drivers in their cars for 2022, and some great people technically, as well as a fantastic team boss in Jost Capito. If Williams aren’t able to make some progress in 2022, it will certainly leave questions whether they will be able to work their way back up to the front in Formula 1.
Sources: Formula 1, Williams, Autosport, Motorsport, Williams Facebook Page
Covering anything from JDM cars to classic jets. Contributed to HotCars since the Autumn of 2018. Writes features, news and list articles.