Rob Smedley: “Ferrari is becoming a concern”
Rob Smedley reflects on Williams' performance level, while Ferrari raised their level at the last Grand Prix in Malaysia.
In Malaysia, Williams experienced a complicated qualifying session, and it was only during the race that Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa were able to make up for it.
However, Rob Smedley, the head of performance at Williams, remains concerned about Ferrari’s level. According to him, the Italian team represents a serious threat to the Grove team: « Of course, I’m concerned. Being a minute behind at the end of the race is something to worry about. It would be quite wrong of me to say that it doesn’t concern me. The strategy set by Ferrari certainly helped Vettel. We must focus on that. »
The Englishman reflects on the development plans for the single-seater: « At the same time, we have to develop the car. So yes, it is a concern if someone is ahead of us. No matter the team, we must continue to have a faster pace than our competitors, and if we do, then we will close the gap. »
Just like Christian Horner and Toto Wolff, Smedley congratulates his former team on their victory: “I’m happy for the guys over there. I think they have gone through a difficult time over the past few years given their resources and budget. It’s good to see that hard work eventually pays off. Ferrari is not a team of incompetents and they never have been. Today, you could see the team at its best. I have a lot of friends there and I’m happy for them.”
