Williams' improvements for Barcelona...>

[Sodemo]

Just read a news article where Sam Micheal was stating that Williams have numerous new mechanical and areo parts for the Barcelona race.
I wonder if it will be enough to catch up to BAR?

What happened to that new revolutionary rear suspension they were developing?

[Led ZeppF1]

Yes, it will. I hope.

Catch up BAR on Barcelona, catch up Ferrari on Monaco, then finish 1-2 on Nurburgring. Just like last year.

I hope.

[Knowlesy]

They didn't catch anybody at Barcelona last year....it was a low point!

[Glen]

They can improve their lot radically by side-lining the sour-faced oaf in the second car.

[shiny side up!]

Originally posted by Glen
They can improve their lot radically by side-lining the sour-faced oaf in the second car.

Button?!?!?!?

[ASCII Man]

Button drives for Williams? :confused:

[esorniloc]

Williams target should not be to catch BAR, it should be to catch Ferrari!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Knowlesy]

They need to catch BAR first before they catch those lurid red cars.

[Glen]

Button is neither sour-faced nor an oaf (nor is a number two driver, nor drives for Williams). Even when Button was doing badly he conducted himself very professionally. I'm afraid the number two driver in question (and he really has been driving firmly second best for almost a year) is dragging his team down a bit - the rumours that he has already signed for Toyota seem to ring true to me now, judging by his lack of sharpness and motivation.

[jj2728]

williams improvements for barcelona?....well let's see, jeff gordon is going over for the weekend, maybe they have it in mind to hand a car to him and let him see if he can put it on pole, then hire gene as the second driver and then show the door to the 2 whining prima donnas that occupy the seats right now.....that would be an improvement...

[Armco Bender]

Flogging a dead horse comes to mind,even if they strap a rocket on it they aren't going to catch the prancing horses.

[ysofast]

Williams is very close to being the fast car at the track. The new rear suspension and a revised motor is in the works. Also dumping a couple of drivers and getting someone who wants to win and not wine would help

[Glen]

To take this question the way it was meant (ie in an engineering sense) we should remember that williams remain a top team and it may well be the case that the difference that they need to make up is not at all impossible to make. Last year they improved their car to quite a radical degree over the course of the season and there is no reason why they coudn't do that agin - especially given that the design is quite radical and new, so there may be quite big areas for them to focus on to find extra performance.

Renault and BAR are going to be quite strong though. Good race in prospect.

[climb]

Saying that they have new parts seems to ignore that other teams will do too.
The absolute improvement is normally more than likely, but we got to talk about the relative one.
The question should be: will FW improve more than Ferrari and BAR?
Will these new parts pay enough?

[Glen]

Making the distinction between a car with a new concept and several radically different features and one which is an incremental iteration of an established design is not ignoring the fact that other teams will have new parts also. Having said that the Renault and the BAR are also both quite innovative - and Ferrari take cutting-edge so much for granted that we almost forget how damn exciting their car is from and engineering point of view.

[shiny side up!]

Originally posted by shiny side up!
Button?!?!?!?

The was there to indicate jest...

Of course Button does not drive for Williams. And of course, he is not the #2 driver for BAR. But he does appear (as of Imola) to have the second strongest chance of winning on the grid at this moment... thus the 'second car' in the running order...

Oi vey, I guess a made a pretty ty attempt at humour if I'm the only one who understood myself, sorry!

[Glen]

Hey shiny - don't stress... I got it, I just thought I'd give a bit back. I guess I ought to use smileys.

[zetta]

Originally posted by ysofast
Williams is very close to being the fast car at the track. The new rear suspension and a revised motor is in the works. Also dumping a couple of drivers and getting someone who wants to win and not wine would help

Williams would need a lot of development if they want to catch Ferrari. I don't think they can make it this season. But I think they are very close to BAR, and they will catch and surpass them eventually.

As to the drivers, I don't think it's fair to blame Montoya for the poor performance of the team. He seems to be doing a pretty good job with what he has, and would be ahead of Button if his car had not broken down at Bahrain. Ralf on the other hand is letting the team down, and if his dismall performance continues, he should be replaced. It's like he has lost the spirit and is not even trying anymore.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by zetta
As to the drivers, I don't think it's fair to blame Montoya for the poor performance of the team.

Agreed, he is the only Williams driver to be taking the fight to Michael and Jenson.

[shiny side up!]

Yeah, I don't see much room to slag off Montoya at this point... he has given the Williams a good run thus far this year, and I think the whining is probably born of frustration as he watches the red cars get further ahead and the BARs starting to beat his ugly Willy, too.

[Gt_R]

Yeah..it must feel sucky to do all he could/wanted, thinking he's so good, but see his fiercest rival just flying away into the distance... bad for the ego.

But compared to his teammate, he's done well...just strange really that both Williams are actually finding it hard to even match Button consistently.