user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
'Any change' welcome for struggling Williams - Maldonado

'Any change' welcome for struggling Williams - Maldonado

  • Published on 06 Aug 2013 11:57
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
Pastor Maldonado insists the arrival at Williams of Pat Symonds, and the departure of Mike Coughlan, must be good for the beleaguered British team. 2012 appeared to be a turnaround in fortunes for Williams, when Venezuelan Maldonado won the Spanish grand prix.

But the slump returned with a vengeance in 2013, and after the first half of the season only a solitary point separates Williams from the backmarkers Marussia and Caterham. So, mid last month, Williams announced that Pat Symonds - formerly of the title-winning Benetton and Renault team until the 'crashgate' scandal - is switching from Marussia.

At the same time, Williams' technical director Coughlan 'stepped down'. "Yeah, I think we need some change," said Maldonado. "The way we've been working, trying to improve our performance, was not the best and for sure any change in a good way is very welcome." Teammate Valtteri Bottas agrees that Williams needs "some new ideas and new opinions".

Maldonado bluntly told Brazil's Totalrace: "It is practically impossible for us to be worse than how we have been this year. Any change is welcome," he added. "If it will solve the problem, we don't know. What I do know is that we work hard, but the way we have been working did not work. Now we have to change something in the team."

However, he refuses to say Coughlan, the former McLaren chief designer who initially left F1 at the centre of the 'spygate' scandal, is the reason for Williams' troubles. "We cannot speak about one person; we are 500 employees, and I include myself," said Maldonado. "We did not do things the right way and so we did not get the results."

Most worrying, the 28-year-old driver admitted, is that Williams is baffled as to why its performance crashed so badly over the winter period. "We don't know why, and this is one of the most serious problems we have," said Maldonado. (GMM)
F1 News Valtteri Bottas Pastor Maldonado McLaren Renault Williams Marussia

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2023

Pos
Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
860
2
Mercedes
409
3
Ferrari
406
4
McLaren
302
5
Aston Martin
280
6
Alpine F1
120
7
Williams
28
8
Alpha Tauri
25
9
Alfa Romeo Racing
16
10
Haas F1
12
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia
Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco
Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
30 - Jul 2
Austria
Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom
Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary
Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy
Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
-
Spain
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
-
Italy
-
Italy
-
Italy
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
-
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
3 - Nov 5
Brazil Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
-
Italy Adria International Raceway
-
Italy Adria International Raceway
-
Italy Adria International Raceway
See full schedule

Driver profile

FI Valtteri Bottas 77
  • Country Finland
  • Date of b. Aug 28 1989 (34)
  • Place of b. Nastola, Finland
  • Weight 70 kg
  • Length 1.73 m
Show full profile

Team profile

McLaren
McLaren
Show full profile
show sidebar