2018 Report – Williams: The Descent into Hell

Ranking in the championship: 10th, 7 pts

Best qualifying position: 10th (Stroll – Azerbaijan, Italy)

Best race finish: 8th (Stroll – Azerbaijan)

For three seasons, the Williams team has continued to decline in the hierarchy of the final constructors’ standings. After two solid third-place finishes in 2014 and 2015, the British team found itself at the disappointing and last position, tenth, in 2018.

The arrival of Paddy Lowe from Mercedes to compensate for Valtteri Bottas’s departure to the Silver Arrows should have brought technical stability and a return to the podiums from which Williams is inexorably drifting away. In 2018, exceptional race circumstances were needed for Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin to score points. Even on the Canadian’s favorite circuit, in Baku, or at Monza, which traditionally suits the English chassis, the FW41s were struggling!

The lack of financial resources is often blamed for this glaring lack of performance and development. But the youth and inexperience of the two drivers are also to blame for the team’s numerous underperformances this year. Some even go as far as to say that Claire Williams’ management might not be as effective as her father Frank’s.

Change is needed at Grove to regain the standing worthy of a multi-champion team. The arrival of the promising George Russell and the veteran Robert Kubica clearly goes in this direction. See you next March to reap the first fruits…or not?

Lance Stroll

Often criticized due to his connection to the finance mogul Lawrence Stroll, Lance experienced a very enigmatic season. Knowing relatively early in the year about his projects for 2019 with the acquisition of Force India by his father, the Canadian no longer seemed genuinely invested within Williams and did not provide the solutions and technical directions expected by the team from Grove.

Knowing his career was saved thanks to the future former Racing Point team, Lance Stroll did not therefore redouble his efforts to prove that he deserved his place in Formula 1. It is therefore difficult to judge the talent of the young man, especially against the rather weak opposition represented by Sergey Sirotkin.

The real test will take place in 2019 for Stroll, who will have to battle with the tough Sergio Pérez, who will know the team perfectly and has already proven himself within it.

Sergey Sirotkin:

Difficult to start a career at the back of the grid in the least performing team on the circuit. Many have seen their dreams shattered in this situation, while others, fewer in number, have managed to stand out. Unfortunately for him, Sergey Sirotkin belongs to the first category.

The Russian, a distinguished driver in promotional formulas, finally got his chance in Formula 1 with Williams after trying his luck, unsuccessfully, with Renault. The funding provided by his sponsor SMP will allow the British team to complete the season’s budget and thus enable Sirotkin to secure the seat.

In an otherwise dull season where he struggled to surpass his inexperienced teammate, it is noteworthy that the Russian scored his only point at the Italian Grand Prix…following the disqualification of Romain Grosjean’s Haas. Unsurprisingly, Sirotkin will not be retained by Williams in 2019, as they prefer the experience of Robert Kubica over his suitcase of rubles.