Barcelona - Test

Barcelona - Test

Barcelona - Test

Williams FW37 - 2015

Pat Symonds: Felipe Massa exceeded Williams F1 team's expectations

Williams Formula 1 team chief technical officer Pat Symonds admits Felipe Massa's speed in 2014 exceeded expectations.

Massa moved to Williams after eight seasons at Ferrari during which time he came close to winning the 2008 title, but he struggled to match team-mate Fernando Alonso from 2010-2013.

Symonds believes the change of environment has enabled Massa to rediscover his best form.

"We all knew Felipe was quick and it wasn't that long ago that he almost won the championship," Symonds told AUTOSPORT.

"I didn't know him very well before he came to us, but he's a great guy and a great team player.

"He was actually quicker than I thought he was [going to be].

"I think this is a good example of putting people in the right environment and they will flourish.

"He's in the perfect place now and I think the team is as well.

"We have given him the freedom that he needed and in return he's absolutely given us credibility, speed and points."

MISSED OPPORTUNITIES

Massa scored three podium finishes in 2014 compared to team-mate Valtteri Bottas's six, but Symonds reckons incidents with Kamui Kobayashi in Melbourne and Kimi Raikkonen at Silverstone in particular cost Massa more opportunities to score heavily.

"In Australia, what could he do about Kobayashi driving into the back of him?" said Symonds. "There are some things you just can't avoid.

Source>>>>

Felipe

Williams: Jó a harmadik hely, de győzni szeretnénk!

A Williams helyettes csapatvezetője, Claire Williams természetesen örül annak, hogy csapata – 1997 után először – le tudta győzni a Ferrarit, és az is örömmel tölti el, hogy az istálló bekerült a legjobb három közé, viszont már csak a következő lépésre, azaz a győzelemre gondol.

Williams F1

A nagy múltú brit alakulat tavaly kilencedik lett a gyártók bajnokságában, az szezon során pedig mindössze 5 világbajnoki egységet gyűjtött. Az új évad előtt azonban több neves szakemberrel is megegyezett és motorszállítói szerződést kötött a Mercedesszel (később kiderült, ez a lépés kulcsfontosságú volt, hiszen az új szabályokhoz a németek alkalmazkodtak legjobban).

Az átalakításnak végül meglett az eredménye, hiszen a Williams 2014-ben harmadik lett az összetettben. Sir Frank Williams alakulata 2003 óta nem végzett ennyire előkelő pozícióban (akkor még a BMW partnereként második lett a bajnokságban), a szezont tehát a vezetők is sikerként könyvelték el, most viszont már csak a folytatásra összpontosítanak.

 „Boldogok vagyunk, amiért meg tudtuk szerezni a harmadik helyet, de sok dolgunk van még” – idézi az Autosport az istálló alapítójának lányát, Claire Williamst. „Frank viszont mindig azt mondja: miért örülünk ennyire egy harmadik helynek? Azért vagyunk itt, hogy nyerjünk” – folytatja a helyettes csapatvezető. „Nagyon keményen kell dolgoznunk a téli hónapokban és a folytatásban is a helyes irányba kell haladunk. Reméljük, hogy csökkenthetjük lemaradásunkat a Mercedes gyári csapatával szemben, miközben a többiek nem tudnak utolérni bennünket, tehát a folytatásban fel tudjuk majd venni a harcot a Mercedesszel” – tűzi ki a célokat Williams, kinek csapata sokak szerint elsősorban a Mercedesnek köszöneti előrelépését, ő azonban más tényezőket is fontosnak tart.

Tovább >>>>

David Coulthard and BBC F1 test Williams FW08 & FW36 at Silverstone

Bottas: Megtisztelő, de egyelőre nem gondolok arra, hogy egy nap bajnok lehetek

A Williams F1 Team finn versenyzője boldog a dicsérő szavak miatt, de lépésről lépésre akar haladni a Forma-1-ben.
Valtteri Bottasról mindig is sejteni lehetett, hogy nagy tehetség és pontosan emiatt épített éveken át a Williams arra, hogy egy nap egy remek versenyzőt farag belőle. Az idei évre nagyon sokat fejlődött Bottas, akárcsak Sir Frank Williams istállója, mely a harmadik helyen fejezte be a bajnokságot, míg a finn negyedik lett, ami ugyancsak nagy eredmény.

Valtteriről sokan úgy tartják, hogy ő lehet a „Jégember” utódja, és ezt akár szó szerint is vehetjük, hiszen a pletykák szerint a Ferrari ajánlatot tett neki 2016-ra.

„Természetesen jó hallani azt, amikor ilyen dolgokat mondanak rólad. A legfontosabb az, hogy bízz magadban. Egy évvel ezelőtt Finnországban még a nevemet sem tudták. Idén egyre inkább megismertek az emberek, és otthon is egyre nagyobb támogatást kapok.” – fogalmazott a finn TS kérdésére Bottas.

„Nagyon sok támogatást kaptam már az emberektől, és különösen örülök, hogy ez Finnországban is jelen van. Mindez nagyon pozitív, de az életem nem változott meg.”

Tovább >>>

Abu Dhabi Test - Day Two

Driver: Felipe Nasr
Chassis/ Engine: FW36-01 / PU106a Hybrid
Locations: Yas Marina, Abu Dhabi, 5.554km
Objectives: Aero evaluations and 2015 tyre tests
Weather: Hot and sunny
Air and Track Temps: 25-32°C / 27-42°C

Rod Nelson, Chief Test and Support Engineer: "We had another productive day. The morning consisted of aero testing, and the afternoon the focus was on longer runs comparing the 2014 and 2015 Pirelli tyres. Testing has gone well over the year, and we are positive going into the winter, although there is now a lot of work to do now before the test in Jerez. It was good to have Felipe in the car today and we thank him for his all his work this season. He has been a positive influence on the team over the year and we wish him all the best at his new team 2015." on the team over the year and we wish him all the best at his new team 2015.

Driver: Felipe Nasr

Felipe Nasr: "Today was really good day; it’s always nice to drive the FW36 and to have the chance to drive it on the final day of 2014 was very enjoyable. The focus of the day was on the 2015 tyres and longer runs, and we learnt a lot about how the tyre wears over a long distance as we covered nearly a full race distance. I have to say a big thank you to the whole team for the opportunities they have given me this year and I wish them all the best for the future."

Read more >>>>

#picoftheday: happy

Williams F1 Team 2014

Felipe Massa celebrates second place

Felipe Massa thought he and the Williams Formula 1 team were on course to end the 2014 Formula 1 season with victory in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The Brazilian kept within range of eventual world champion Lewis Hamilton and the second Mercedes of Nico Rosberg throughout the first half of the race and took second when Rosberg began to suffer mechanical problems.

Felipe Massa celebrates second place

Massa switched to Pirelli's super-soft tyres for his final stint and slashed Hamilton's lead from around 15 seconds to just 3.2s before the rubber went off in the final two laps.

"I didn't expect that, to have that pace," he said. "We tried but Lewis was just a little bit too far.

"When there were 10 laps to go I said 'if the tyres stay like that, I can win the race'. But the tyres were degrading a little bit.

"In the last four laps, I didn't have [enough] compared to him to catch like I was catching him before.

"I wanted that victory so much, but we were close and I hope that's just the beginning for next year."

THIRD IN CONSTRUCTORS' CLINCHED

Second for Massa and third for Valtteri Bottas delivered the Williams team its first double podium since 2005 and also confirmed its third place in the constructors' championship, its best result since finishing second in 2003.

"It's fantastic to be a part of it," Massa added. "Today was so nice to see we are there, we can win a race, we can fight for victory.

Felipe Massa on the 2014 Abu Dhabi GP podium
"[It has been] such a difficult time for so long and we are still there, we had opportunity to fight for the victory and that is what makes me proud, makes me happy and makes me even more motivated to carry on and push hard every day."

Bottas's third place propelled him to fourth in the final drivers' standings and the Finn echoed his team-mate's view that Williams was well placed going into 2015.

"Like Felipe said, an amazing end to the season and from last season it has been just incredible how much we have improved, as a team," he said.

"Two cars on the podium, it really shows how much we have also been improving during the season which is the main thing as next year things are going to be very tricky.

"All I can say now is I am happy to be part of this team now as we are really on the up - from us and my side there is definitely more to come."

Tovább >>>>

Bottas: Jövőre még ennél is jobbak lehetünk

(f1világ.hu) - Fantasztikus eredménnyel zárta a 2014-es Forma-1-es bajnokságot a Williams csapata.

A grove-i gárda mindkét versenyzője dobogóra állhatott Abu Dhabiban – Felipe Massát a második, Valtteri Bottast pedig a harmadik helyen intette le a kockás zászló.

Bottas

Bottas idén hatodszor állt a pódiumon, a futam után pedig arról beszélt, meggyőződése, hogy jövőre még jobb lehet a Williams.

„Fantasztikus zárása ez az idei szezonnak” – mondta a finn, aki a tabella negyedik helyén fejezte be a 2014-es bajnokságot.

„A tavalyi évhez képest pedig egyszerűen hihetetlen, mennyit fejlődtünk. Mindkét autónk dobogós helyen ért célba ma, ez pedig jól mutatja, hogy még az idény során is javultunk – ez a legfőbb dolog, hiszen jövőre igencsak trükkösek lehetnek a dolgok.”

„Minden, amit mondhatok, hogy boldog vagyok amiatt, hogy tagja lehetek ennek a csapatnak, mivel tényleg előrefelé haladunk. Kétségtelen, hogy ennél még több van bennünk, bennem.”

Tovább >>>

Massa hitt benne, hogy nyerhet

Az Abu-dzabi Nagydíj utolsó köreire azonban lelassult az abroncsai miatt. A Williams versenyzői remélik, hogy a konstruktőri bajnokság 3. helye után jövőre már a győzelmekért küzdhetnek.

Remek versenyt futott a Williams Abu-Dzabiban, és idén először mindkét versenyzőjük felállhatott a dobogóra. Ilyen jó eredményt legutóbb 2005-ben sikerült elérniük, a 2. és 3. helyekkel ráadásul bebiztosították a konstruktőri bajnokság harmadik helyét is a Ferrari előtt.

Massa hitt benne, hogy nyerhet

A Williams napját csak az tehette volna szebbé, ha Felipe Massa megnyerte volna a futamot, és egy ideig úgy tűnt, erre akár reális esélye is lehet. Nico Rosberg műszaki hibái után az élen álló Lewis Hamilton kímélni kezdte az autóját, ezért Massa egyre közelebb került hozzá, az utolsó etapra pedig agresszív taktikát választottak: a brazil autójára felszerelték a gyorsabb szuperlágy gumikat, hogy támadhassa Hamiltont. Noha folyamatosan közeledett hozzá, végül nem tudta utolérni, és 2,5 másodperces hátránnyal ért célba a 2. helyen.

„Nem gondoltam volna, hogy ilyen gyors leszek. Mindent megpróbáltunk, de Lewis előnye túl nagy volt" – nyilatkozta a verseny végén Massa, aki komolyan hitt a győzelemben. „10 körrel a futam vége előtt azt mondtam magamnak, hogy 'ha ilyenek maradnak az abroncsaim, meg fogom nyerni a versenyt.' A gumik azonban kicsit kopni kezdtek – az utolsó négy körben már nem tudtam olyan ütemben közeledni hozzá, mint korábban."

Massa állítása szerint „nagyon akarta" ezt a győzelmet, de a Williams teljesítménye így is reményt ad neki a következő szezonra. „Remélem, ez csak a kezdete annak, amit jövőre mutatni fogunk" – jelentette ki a brazil, aki végül jól járt azzal, hogy a tavalyi idény végén elküldte őt a Ferrari.

A Williams helyettes csapatfőnöke, Claire Williams elmondta, a korábbi bajnoki címek ellenére még soha nem volt ilyen büszke az istállóra. „Ha megnézzük, hol végeztünk tavaly, egészen hihetetlen a mostani eredményünk" – utalt a Williams rendkívül gyenge, mindössze 5 pontot hozó 2013-as idényére. „Remélem, sikerül építenünk az idei évre. Folyamatosan javult a teljesítményünk, és csökkentettük a lemaradásunkat a Mercedeshez képest."

Tovább >>>

A Williams tudja, mi okozta a pénteki problémákat

(f1világ.hu) - A hűtés eltérő konfigurációja miatt voltak problémák a Williams autóinak oldalszekrényeivel az Abu Dhabi Nagydíj pénteki első szabadedzésén.

A grove-i istálló furcsa nehézségekkel találta szemben magát ma, előbb Valtteri Bottas autójáról vált le egy karosszériadarab, majd Felipe Massát is hasonló probléma hátráltatta.

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix practice

A Williamsnél azt mondják, az okozta a gondokat, hogy változtattak az autó hűtésének konfigurációján, ezért az oldalszekrény borítóelemének rögzítése nem volt megfelelő. Emiatt pedig egy jóval konzervatívabb megoldásra kellett visszaállnia a csapatnak.

„Tudtuk, hogy némi változtatás után rendben lesz a dolog” – mondta Valtteri Bottas.

„Szóval kipróbáltunk valami mást. Azt hiszem, a probléma fő okozója a rögzítés volt, illetve ez az másmilyen oldalszekrény, amit ilyen gyors pályán még nem használtunk.”

„Jó, hogy kipróbáltuk az első edzésen. Sokat nem javított a teljesítményen.”

Bottas azt mondja, az elveszített pályaidő nem volt hatással mai programjára, hiszen korábban már többször előfordult, hogy a csapat tesztpilótája, Felipe Nasr vezetett helyette a nyitóedzésen.

„Minden a tervek szerint ment. Elvégeztük a szokványos teszteket, először néhány rövidebb, majd végül néhány hosszabb etapot. Szóval szokványos péntek volt.”

„A második edzés nagyon jól ment, és mivel már megszoktam, hogy az első edzésen nem vezetek, az a néhány megtett kör igazából bónusz volt számomra. Tehát jól éreztem magam az autóban.”

„A harmadik edzésen finomhangolhatjuk a beállításokat, biztos vagyok benne, hogy minden rendben lesz.”

Tovább >>>>

#picoftheday: Oooops

2014 Ausztrál GP

Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Prev.

Yas Marina hosts the Formula One

For the third time in the circuit’s six-year history, Yas Marina hosts the Formula One season finale. This promises to be a race to remember, with double points on offer (50 for a win, instead of 25) and lots of potential movement in the points standings. The circuit layout contains three distinct sections: some fast corners in sector one, long straights in sector two and tight corners in sector three, reminiscent of a street circuit. Car set-up is a compromise between straight-line speed and achieving good traction out of the slow corners, and engineers have to be wary of the cooling track temperatures as the sun goes down in what is the only twilight race of the year. Overtaking should be possible in the two DRS zones, and with so many points at stake this weekend it’s fair to expect plenty of action.

Rob Smedley
Abu Dhabi has a great mix of long straights with high straight-line speed, big braking and a tight twisty section at the end of the lap. Our main focus is going to be on the third sector and getting the balance right there, which is always difficult due to the changes throughout the weekend with the temperature. You get a large variation in temperature throughout the sessions. It’s important to focus on the dusk to early evening track as that is the time the race will take place. The track has great facilities and you always get a really good crowd, who will hopefully be behind us. Our ambitions remain the same, to finish with a decent haul of points and finish third in the championship.

Felipe Massa & Rob Smedley

Felipe Massa
The track is like a street-circuit in one sector with slow corners and barriers quite close, and then a traditional circuit in the other with very long straights and flowing corners. We race in the evening but practice during the heat of the day, so to adapt the car towards cooler conditions is important, it can save a lot of time if you get this right. Being the final race of the season and with double points it is a very important race to finish in the top ten.

Valtteri Bottas
Abu Dhabi is going to be an exciting race and it could play out one of two ways. The double points could be interesting and we will try and play it to our advantage. We have been trying to secure our position in the championship and so continue to focus on this, but I can still finish fourth in the Drivers’ Championship I will focus on this as well. It’s a nice place to go to, the temperature is warm, the people are friendly and the facilities good so I am looking forward to the race.

Williams Martini Racing Senior Communications Manager Sophie Ogg

By Anna Hrushka, Staff Write / Original link

Sophie Ogg

SOPHIE OGG is the senior communications manager for F1 team Williams Martini Racing. Pior to joining Williams as press officer in '10, Ogg held roles with the Formula BMW UK Championship, A1 Grand Prix, British GT and the FIA World Touring Car Championship. Ogg spoke to SBD Global about travel, relations with the press and the role of social media in F1. 

On pursuing a career in F1 ...
Sophie Ogg: I always wanted to get to the top of my career, but that could have been in F1 or in racing in the USA. It was a case of taking whichever opportunity came my way. I wanted to work in motorsport first and foremost, and I have absolutely loved every job I have had along the way, but I think if I’d never achieved a role in F1 I probably would have felt that I hadn’t achieved everything I’d wanted to. F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport and Williams is one of the most loved teams in the sport. I remember watching Nigel Mansell win the title in 1992 and Damon Hill in 1996, and thinking that is what I want to do. I was pretty determined that I would work up through the motorsport ranks to get to where I wanted to be -- despite my careers adviser at school telling me I needed to have a more realistic goal in life. 


On the most challenging aspect of her job ...
Sophie Ogg: The nature of my job means it’s a 24/7 role. It’s impossible to ever switch off. Even on an evening or weekend off I find it hard to step away. I have always been a bit of a workaholic, but this job does become your life. It’s challenging, but it’s also one of the things that make it so rewarding because it’s not just a job. There are lows, but there are also highs and you go through them as a team. It’s something that is difficult to explain but the adrenaline rush of watching the lights go out every race day reminds us all why it is more than just a job. It’s also not only an F1 team, as my role means I have responsibility for the whole Williams Group and so even over a race weekend where the focus is on what is happening on track, there is still a great deal of activity going on with the Group or Williams Advanced Engineering that I need to be focusing on as well. I’ve also had to deal with some big personalities over the years. That is a challenge in itself. 

On the F1 travel schedule ...
Sophie Ogg: It’s very hard to have a normal life. Having to miss friends and family birthdays or weddings can be difficult. I’m lucky I have a very understanding family and a partner who also travels, so that does make it easier. I also never know what timezone I’m in, so it always feels like it should be a meal time. The long hours can be hard, but having Sir Frank Williams come by your desk and thank you for working late makes it feel very worthwhile. It’s a real family atmosphere in the team and you never feel like the hours or the travel are not worth it. I’ve always said motorsport isn’t a job, it’s a lifestyle. 

On the impact of social media on F1 ...
Sophie Ogg: Social media is capable of creating a buzz in ways that were not possible previously. It has broken down the wall between the fans and their focal point. The direct communication allows relationships to be built that were impossible only a few years ago and the value from that flows in both directions. The launch of Williams Martini Racing earlier this year was a perfect example. As a team, we never communicated anything until the official launch, but the talk across social media was building up anticipation for months in advance. When we eventually launched in March, tweets including #WilliamsMartini reached more than 40 million people, as well as becoming the second highest trending hashtag in the U.K. #WilliamsMartini was retweeted more than 2.5 million times around the world, with activity from our official @WilliamsRacing account reaching 5.5 million people. The fact most people had already decided Martini were joining as our title partner didn’t stop the incredible interaction we had with fans, partners and media across the globe on that day. 

On prioritizing media appointments ...
Sophie Ogg: It’s always difficult as all media are important, but there just isn’t the time or capacity for us to accommodate every request. We have key markets that we will look to prioritize, whether that be a driver’s local media or a region that is important to a partner of the team. We try to grant access to all media in some way, but we are never going to be able to accommodate everyone. I think as a team we have a really good relationship with the media. There are longstanding journalists who are more like friends of the team, but there are always new media coming in and we aim to make them feel just as welcome. 

Read more >>>>

#picoftheday: Happy

2014 Austrian GP

Exclusive Claire Williams Q&A: Don't rule us out in Abu Dhabi

Claire Williams

While most eyes will be on the Mercedes title fight next weekend, the Abu Dhabi season finale also represents Williams' last chance to add a race win to what has already been their best campaign in over a decade. And it's a chance they are determined to take.

Deputy team principal Claire Williams speaks about the team's stunning 2014 turnaround, their plans for a 2016 championship challenge, why talk of signing Fernando Alonso was wide of the mark, and why they could yet play 'kingmaker' at Yas Marina...

Q: Claire, Brazil was another podium weekend for Williams - this time through Felipe Massa, and in front of his home crowd. Can you really believe what has happened at Williams in the last 12 months? You have jumped from ninth in the constructors' standings to third...
Claire Williams: Ha, if you had said to any of us this time last year, when we had scored our first multiple points - four to be precise - in the United States Grand Prix, that we would be in P3 at this time next year, I don't think we would have believed it. But the team has done a fantastic job to effect this turnaround and I am so proud of everybody involved. It is the reward of all our hard work. But as Frank [Williams] always says, 'It is P3 - we have got to win!' So it would be wonderful to end this year with a race win. With how it is now, I think people in the team will be disappointed if we don't win a race - but everybody has to remember where we came from. 

Q: There is only one race left...
CW: …and we've shown that we have a car that is consistent at every race track, so I don't see why there shouldn't be an opportunity for us. Sure, it will depend on circumstances, as both Mercedes are hard to beat - but why not?

Q: A Williams victory, or a second place, in Abu Dhabi has the potential to influence who wins the 2014 title - and Nico Rosberg says he has to motivate Felipe…
CW: Oh, that's put the pressure on us. But when it happens it happens - that's Formula One. 

Q: Williams could be the 'kingmaker'...
CW: Funny… I haven't thought about that. 

Felipe

Read more >>>>>

F1 Brazilian Grand Prix: Massa overcomes errors for home podium

Felipe Massa delighted the home crowd by taking third in the Brazilian Grand Prix, but he didn't make it easy for himself. 

Massa had to overcome an early stop-go penalty for speeding in the pit lane and a mistake in his final stop, when he went into the wrong box, but still had the pace with his Williams to take a spot on the rostrum and finish best of the rest behind the dominant Mercedes' of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.

F1 Brazilian Grand Prix: Massa overcomes errors for home podium

“I am so happy for my race, so many mistakes also though,” he said up on the podium. “I had the drive through, the five seconds for the penalty for the sped limiter. Also I stop in the McLaren [pit box] because it was a similar and it just was prepared before my garage. But the car was fantastic. 

“I am so grateful for the pace.” 

Speaking in the post-race press conference, he emphasised just how much the result meant and how much he appreciated the home support, although he was not happy with his errors. 

“I think the race was amazing - everything that happened in my race today. So, I think the most important thing was that the pace was there, the car was quick. I have been so happy with the car during the whole all weekend,” he continued. “The car was so competitive – unfortunately not enough to beat these guys here [the Mercedes'], which is winning all the races.” 

“I am not happy with my mistakes today, however,” he added. “I just got a problem when I braked for the [first] pitstop, I pressed the pit-limiter but for whatever reason the pit-limiter was not inside, and then just past the speed I brake, I press again and it was a problem I had today. 

“Then I managed to catch the guys [ahead]. The car was fantastic. I managed to overtake many cars, catch [Jenson] Button as well, when he was in front. Then I stop. I was opening the gap compared to Jenson to about five or six seconds, maybe even more. Then I stop in the wrong garage. I stop in the McLaren [garage] because they change our garage this race and we are a lot more in the middle and McLaren with the similar colour – not white but you know – I thought it was our garage. They were ready. Then I just stopped there and lost a lot of time because of that. 

Read more >>>>>