The mold is cast. With four Grand Prix weekends still left on the calendar, most teams have already shifted their focus to 2024. Cars were hardly developed at all. Although there is a battle between Ferrari and Mercedes for the lucrative second place in the constructors’ world championship, most of the games are for consolation prizes.
Williams is one of the 2023 winners. Last year the cult racing team came last; They currently sit seventh, ahead of Alfa Romeo, Haas and AlphaTauri. British team leader James Vowles is already thinking about the next breakthrough.
Will the season be a success if Williams loses another place?
“I am very pleased.” But I have to make a decision. “You can’t play chess on two boards at the same time.”
“Stopping major updates was the easiest decision I made this year. What we’re doing now is a better investment. It’s not fun, but it’s necessary. I don’t want to fight for points; I want podium places.”
Williams had some tough years and was on the brink. You didn’t start out sprawled on the bed.
“When you look at the facilities, we are lagging behind. Top teams Red Bull Racing, Ferrari and Mercedes have headquarters we can only dream of. Think simulators, test benches, research and development. Everything is extremely modern.”
“What do we have? Lots of old devices. Some machines are twenty years old or even broken. We have to make do with what we have. We do that. And we are investing. But I must honestly admit that I was shocked at the time.” I came here last year. It was a little worse than I feared.
Doesn’t that discourage you?
“You can look at this very negatively. Yes, there is a lot to do. It’s a challenge but we love it. We have a lot of good people. “I’m trying to put all the pieces together in the right place.”
“This season is motivating. If we do that with what we have now, then we will do good. I am sure. It would be great if Max Verstappen wanted to race for us in a few years. Because we will.” So prepare well for everything. Have each other.
Have you checked out Williams yet?
“Currently, around 900 people work there. When I started there were a lot fewer people for this. This race team needs to be put back on top. Then you really need to push the limits. “And financially.”
“I’m not here for quick success. I have been working for the same employer for 23 years and I would be disappointed if I left. I gave everything for this. My heart and soul are with Williams.”
Red Bull Racing has won almost every race for two years. Does this make you jealous?
“Do I always want to win? Naturally! They’re doing an excellent job, but I’m still very happy to be here. We are a small, passionate racing family. Very pure and independent. “It’s completely different from a big company.”
“Red Bull Racing and Mercedes are great organisations, but this is where I can leave my fingerprint and my DNA. I adapted here. If I do this well, the team can last for years. “You rarely get an opportunity like this to build a team.” . “
2009 was your first year of success. Brawn GP won both world titles. How special was this season?
“Sensational. I can talk non-stop for a week. A book for boys. I will never forget this season. Preliminary work was also something special. Brawn was a new beginning. I started at British American Racing (BAR). ; It became Honda and then it became Brawn. “It started with a huge crisis.”
“In 2008, we all lost our jobs overnight because Honda stopped working. Terrible. We knew we were going to get fired right before the banner year. We left it to rest for about two seasons to harvest the 2009 harvest. Everyone was fired, but we continued to work. “Hundreds of people.”
“We did our best to get the team back on its feet. I negotiated with potential buyers. This worked, and the rest is history. Jenson Button became champion and we won the teams championship. “Later it became Brawn Mercedes.”
Max Verstappen is destroying the competition this season. Will 2024 be more exciting?
“Red Bull is doing the same thing we did during the years of dominance at Mercedes. When you’re that far ahead of the rest, you start working hard on your next car early and stick with the current one. This way you hold your head. “Start.”
“The rest may get a little closer, but Red Bull is already six months ahead. They will be the strongest again next year. There is no doubt about it. A new rocket is coming.”
Source: NOS
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
