2019 Review – Williams: To the Bitter End

What a tough year 2019 was for Williams! The British team’s performances were so disappointing that few remembered that just 4 years ago, the team was still fighting for podiums with Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas.

Today, unfortunately, the structure launched by Frank Williams in the late 60s is struggling to withstand the powerful manufacturers who are better financially equipped than it is.

Betting on Robert Kubica’s return to Formula 1, Williams didn’t even have the chance to ride the wave of this surprising media coup since the Pole was a far cry from the talented and fast driver he was in the mid-2000s. Tensions even arose at the end of the season between the former Renault driver and his employer, bringing their collaboration to an end.

The glaring lack of performance of the FW42 was identified early in the season, and the lack of funding, despite signing Rokit as the main sponsor, did not allow Williams to turn things around. The team was more concerned with not damaging parts rather than producing new ones.

Despite everything and to avoid humiliation, Robert Kubica took advantage of the disqualification of the two Alfa Romeos at the German Grand Prix to score the team’s only point this year, the lowest score for Williams in the championship… since 1977!

It is hard to see how Williams could turn things around over the winter to offer more enticing performances next season. Another difficult season looms despite support from Mercedes and the arrival of funding from their new driver, Nicholas Latifi. The team needs to rebuild in the long term while trying to survive until better days in an increasingly tough financial climate for independent teams. The new 2021 regulations could be a lifeline and a sign of renewal for one of the oldest and most iconic teams in Formula 1.