Photo by Dan Mullan – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images
With some upgrades and a track suited to the FW45, Williams is thinking bigger this week
It has not been the easiest start to the 2023 Formula 1 season for Williams. The team sits in last place in the Constructors’ standings with just a single point on the year, thanks to Alex Albon’s tenth-place finish in the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
While that rather unfairly diminishes what Albon has been able to do this season — the veteran driver advanced to Q3 in both the Australian Grand Prix and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix yet failed to come away with points — that bad luck coupled with rookie Logan Sargeant’s struggles has made for tough sledding for the team.
However, while other teams are downplaying their chances in this weekend’s Canadian Grand Prix (looking at you Mercedes) things are different with Williams. They believe the track in Montreal is a good fit for the FW45, and the team believes they can be much more competitive this weekend than they were in Monaco or Barcelona.
“Canada is always an enjoyable event; the circuit lends itself to good racing and there is always a chance of some tricky weather conditions, which can be blistering heat or sudden showers,” said Dave Robson, the team’s Head of Vehicle Performance. “The track in Montreal should play slightly more to the strengths of the FW45 than Monaco and Barcelona did.”
In addition, the team believes that overtaking will be easier in Montreal, particularly when compared to the previous two races. “Overtaking is easier in Montreal than it was at the last two races, which may open up some additional strategy options during the Grand Prix, if the tyre degradation can be managed,” added Robson.
Albon, who has finished outside the points in his two previous trips to Montreal, concurs with that assessment.
“Heading into Canada, it’s always a bit of a tricky circuit, however with it having more medium downforce, it should suit us a bit more than the last couple of tracks,” said Albon.
The team is also bringing some upgrades to the Canadian Grand Prix, which will only be used on Albon’s FW45.
“We have an upgrade coming for this weekend, so it should be interesting to see how it performs,” said Albon. “Everyone at the factory has done a huge job to get this upgrade ready for the weekend, so hopefully we can have a good result.”
“Furthermore, we have several upgraded components available this week, which will run on Alex’s car only,” added Robson. “We expect to be more competitive, but we will take our time on Friday to understand if the new package is delivering as expected.”
Williams will get their first look at the upgraded FW45 in the two practice sessions on Friday. Here’s how you can watch.
