user icon
user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Ending slump 'very difficult' task for Williams - Villeneuve

Ending slump 'very difficult' task for Williams - Villeneuve

  • Published on 08 Jul 2013 09:29
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Ending its slump will be a "very difficult" task for Williams. That is the view of the great British team's last world champion, Jacques Villeneuve, who in Germany assessed Williams' current form on the occasion of its 600th grand prix.

In total contrast to 1997, when Williams and French-Canadian Villeneuve were F1's dominant force, the 2013-spec FW35s failed to make it through even the initial 'Q1' qualifying segment on Saturday. And that was after fire marshals had to be called into the Williams garage to contain a smoky and hazardous KERS battery failure.

Villeneuve, now a television pundit, told Spain's El Pais newspaper: "Williams has to reformulate. For many years, the manufacturers were in control, but when they left, the structure remained but not the money," the 42-year-old said at the Nurburgring.

"The sponsors had come because of the manufacturer, and so when they (the carmakers) go, they (the sponsors) go as well. That's why it's easy to get pay drivers rather than focus on whether they're fast enough, which ends up turning into a cycle that's very difficult to get out of," added Villeneuve.

Meanwhile, the former Williams and Sauber driver said Mark Webber's departure at Red Bull at the end of the year is good news for the reigning world champion. "Now everyone will work just for (Sebastian) Vettel, because Webber's leaving anyway," said Villeneuve. "So his decision to leave will make life easier for everyone."

And when asked what he would do if he was in charge of F1, the unabashed purist Villeneuve answered: "I'd get rid of the sole tyre supplier, everything artificial like KERS and DRS and the restrictions on the number of engines. Less rules, more pure racing -- like Nascar," he added. (GMM)
F1 News Williams Sauber
<< Previous article Next article >>

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

Related news

World Championship standings 2021

Pos
Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
174
2
Mercedes
148
3
Ferrari
94
4
McLaren
92
5
Alpha Tauri
39
6
Aston Martin
37
7
Alpine F1
25
8
Alfa Romeo Racing
2
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Team profile

Williams
Williams
Show full profile

Formula 1 Calendar - 2021

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
26 - Mar 28
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
16 - Apr 18
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
30 - May 2
Portugal
Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
7 - May 9
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
20 - May 23
Monaco
Monte Carlo
4 - Jun 6
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
18 - Jun 20
France
Paul Ricard
25 - Jun 27
Austria
Red Bull Ring
2 - Jul 4
Austria
Red Bull Ring
16 - Jul 18
United Kingdom
Silverstone
30 - Aug 1
Hungary
Hungaroring
27 - Aug 29
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
3 - Sep 5
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
10 - Sep 12
Italy
Monza
24 - Sep 26
Russian
Sochi Autodrom
1 - Oct 3
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
8 - Oct 10
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
22 - Oct 24
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
29 - Oct 31
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
5 - Nov 7
Brazil
Interlagos
19 - Nov 21
Australia
Albert Park
3 - Dec 5
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
10 - Dec 12
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2021

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
26 - Mar 28
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
16 - Apr 18
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
30 - May 2
Portugal Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
7 - May 9
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
20 - May 23
Monaco Monte Carlo
4 - Jun 6
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
18 - Jun 20
France Paul Ricard
25 - Jun 27
Austria Red Bull Ring
2 - Jul 4
Austria Red Bull Ring
16 - Jul 18
United Kingdom Silverstone
30 - Aug 1
Hungary Hungaroring
27 - Aug 29
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
3 - Sep 5
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
10 - Sep 12
Italy Monza
24 - Sep 26
Russian Sochi Autodrom
1 - Oct 3
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
8 - Oct 10
Japan Circuit Suzuka
22 - Oct 24
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
29 - Oct 31
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
5 - Nov 7
Brazil Interlagos
19 - Nov 21
Australia Albert Park
3 - Dec 5
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
10 - Dec 12
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule
show sidebar