[Team] Williams: Do they have a spare tub?

[P38 in workshop]

Any change has to be for the better as things can hardly get worse.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Williams' title sponsor Rokit, recently extended its deal to back the team until the 2023 season but I don't see Rokit being happy with the deal, if Williams current performance continues, well into next season.

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by S griffin

I guess it doesn’t feel right to have a team like Williams so far down. But then again it also happened to teams like Lotus, Tyrrell and Brabham

Tyrrell is leading the championship right now

[steve nielsen]

Originally Posted by GT6

Another bad day for Williams, not sure what they can do about it but they must bounce back soon.

oh dear

Senior Race Engineer Dave Robson: "We opted to retire Robert [#Kubica] soon afterwards in order to conserve parts ahead of the intense flyaway races which end the season."

seems Williams are really strapped for cash

[Aysedasi]

That really does sound very bad indeed......

[midgetman]

It could either mean "are we even going to make 2021?" or "even we can't see any sense in Robert tugging around so far off the pace any more."

It's a shame to see them reduced to start money specials. Now that may sound harsh but someone who is not competitive, needs to "save parts" and hasn't improved their car all year could only be in it for the money. And if the money isn't there......

Let's hope that some Saudia-like white knight gallops in before it's too late.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[billy bleach]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Williams' title sponsor Rokit, recently extended its deal to back the team until the 2023 season but I don't see Rokit being happy with the deal, if Williams current performance continues, well into next season.

Unless it’s performance related

[Aysedasi]

A fiver for each point? Cheap as chips......

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Unless it’s performance related

Ultimately it's going to be performance related. A sponsor hasn't shelled out all that money, to see the car running at the back of the grid or retiring.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Ultimately it's going to be performance related. A sponsor hasn't shelled out all that money, to see the car running at the back of the grid or retiring.

I think it depends upon what expectations have been set with the sponsor.

I can imagine that running at the back of the grid might be minimally acceptable. I expect retiring working cars might be pushing it? I guess only Williams and their sponsor(s) know what is acceptable.

Regardless, I can imagine for some sponsors that what they want is to show an F1 car with their logo on it in promotional material. And it would be a subset of the target audience that might actually understand the situation as to good or bad performance of the car. I am curious how much the situation of Williams in F1 rises up enough to break outside of the F1 bubble within the market the sponsor cares about.

Richard

[djinvicta]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

Regardless, I can imagine for some sponsors that what they want is to show an F1 car with their logo on it in promotional material. And it would be a subset of the target audience that might actually understand the situation as to good or bad performance of the car. I am curious how much the situation of Williams in F1 rises up enough to break outside of the F1 bubble within the market the sponsor cares about.

Richard

Well it works.. I'd never heard of "Rokit" until it appeared on a Williams. It's certainly getting some photos taken now!
No such thing as bad publicity..

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Well it works.. I'd never heard of "Rokit" until it appeared on a Williams. It's certainly getting some photos taken now!
No such thing as bad publicity..

Exactly! Same thing for Rich Energy (but they might be pushing the envelope regarding any publicity is good publicity)!

Richard

[Greem]

I have it on good authority that Rokit were delighted with the TV coverage from Baku (specifically) as even though Russell's car was pretty well wrecked by the drain cover, and further damaged by the flatbed crane hitting the bridge, it meant their logos got a whole bunch of unexpected and basically free airtime across the entire world.

The best part is that the footage and the photos keeps being shown in highlight reels or opinion pieces.

A classic example of all publicity being good, and a classic example of our appreciation of a situation being very different to that of a sponsorship contract manager!

[peebee2]

I think the current Williams plan is to get the Latifi millions, sell Russell end of next year for an engine discount and then get the Mazepin billions.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Greem

I have it on good authority that Rokit were delighted with the TV coverage from Baku (specifically) as even though Russell's car was pretty well wrecked by the drain cover, and further damaged by the flatbed crane hitting the bridge, it meant their logos got a whole bunch of unexpected and basically free airtime across the entire world.

The best part is that the footage and the photos keeps being shown in highlight reels or opinion pieces.

A classic example of all publicity being good, and a classic example of our appreciation of a situation being very different to that of a sponsorship contract manager!

I just wonder how long that will last, with a car that is most of the time at the back of the grid.

[chillibowl]

Either way Rokit extended their deal with Williams this summer...well enough into the season to know the score.

Even at the back of the grid i suspect Williams has enough to offer ranging from exposure, access, hospitality, engineering...b2b baby!

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by chillibowl

Either way Rokit extended their deal with Williams this summer...well enough into the season to know the score.

Even at the back of the grid i suspect Williams has enough to offer ranging from exposure, access, hospitality, engineering...b2b baby!

Indeed Rokit did extend the deal. However, when Senior Race Engineer Dave Robson says: "We opted to retire Robert soon afterwards in order to conserve parts ahead of the intense flyaway races which end the season." it doesn't look good.

[chillibowl]

Yeah he probably should have said that better.

[E.B]

Originally Posted by steve nielsen

oh dear



seems Williams are really strapped for cash

Yes, to me it is clearly a financial shortage calling for retiring cars to save parts.... given their usual qualifying position, they are not saving engine parts and transmissions to save having to take grid penalties for replacements. They start rear of grid other than others that have taken penalties for new components.

[peebee2]

Just because someone has a deal doesn’t mean they are up to date with their payments. Sometimes an extension is a way to reschedule payments.

Not saying that is the case here but who knows. Rokit products/revenues were certainly questioned here when the deal was announced after Rich Energy dropped them for Haas. And if you preferred Rich Energy in the first place...

[RWill2073]

Originally Posted by djinvicta

Well it works.. I'd never heard of "Rokit" until it appeared on a Williams. It's certainly getting some photos taken now!
No such thing as bad publicity..

Plus, you see a Williams car on screen as much if not more than any other midfield runner. They're there at the start, and are always getting screen time as the leaders go around them, which doesn't always happen to other midfield cars. And they are always first out in practice sessions and qualifying, often as the only car on track. That's more screen time for the rolling billboard.

[cds_uk]

Have to say, this piece on italiaracing is a very uncomfortable read - https://www.italiaracing.net/Kubica-...ccusa/239742/1

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by cds_uk

Have to say, this piece on italiaracing is a very uncomfortable read - https://www.italiaracing.net/Kubica-...ccusa/239742/1

My Italian is not too hot, so can you give a synopsis of the article, it would be appreciated?

[cds_uk]

Essentially, and my italian isn't the best either, George Russell constantly complaining about his brakes during the Japanese GP and wanting to park it but being told to carry on despite how dangerous the situation was, then when he got out of the car at the end he clearly stated that this cannot go on. Add to that the non stop grumbling from Kubicas side of the garage and it doesn't paint a pretty picture.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by cds_uk

Essentially, and my italian isn't the best either, George Russell constantly complaining about his brakes during the Japanese GP and wanting to park it but being told to carry on despite how dangerous the situation was, then when he got out of the car at the end he clearly stated that this cannot go on. Add to that the non stop grumbling from Kubicas side of the garage and it doesn't paint a pretty picture.

Thanks. It certainly does and sounds like a team in total disarray.