Williams setting sights for 2011
With five races to go and one more upgrade to add, Williams is aiming to score a good finish at Singapore and leave the 2010 Formula One championship season with a sense of achievement. The team is currently ranked seventh in the constructor’s championship,
and has enjoyed a surge in its performance since mid-summer. With its increasing potential on the track, technical director Sam Michael is excited about revving up the vehicle and gearing it for better finishes.
“We have a large upgrade for the FW32 for Singapore," Michael announces, according to espnf1.com. “It will be the last upgrade package we will bring to the car this season and we expect it to be competitive.” Michael hopes to finish work on the latest feature,
the blown diffuser, in about two weeks. The addition has been credited with Williams’ recent successes, which earned the team 29 points and a best finish of fourth place in Valencia.
As for 2011, the team will focus on developing the chassis, though Williams’ drivers still await the verdict of their futures.
The team is in negotiations regarding German rookie Nico Hulkenberg, who is slowly adjusting to his first season in F1. The 23-year-old is having trouble catching up to veteran team-mate Rubens Barrichello, who is 15 points ahead, but has performed tremendously
in the last three races, showing a great deal of promise.
“Nico finished sixth in Budapest, but he was consistently strong throughout the whole weekend in Monza," Michael praises. “I would say that his overall performance [in Italy] was his best to date.”
He adds, “Nico had a new engine [the Cosworth V8], but Rubens had the same one as he used in Spa. It is obviously a significant benefit to have a new engine, and particularly when we're racing at these power-hungry circuits. Rubens' car was handling similarly
to Nico's. Although he didn't have the same pace as Nico over the weekend, he still scored an important point for the team.”
Currently, Williams has 47 points in the constructor’s championship, while Barrichello has 31 points and Hulkenberg has 16 points.
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