Team Williams: Do they have a spare tub? - Page 35

Casper · 29 Apr 2019, 02:12 (Ref:3900385)

Quote:

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

I see that on the Autosport website (https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/14...s-not-for-sale) that Claire Williams is categorically denying that Williams GP is for sale.
Usually this type of denial in F1 only means one thing: Williams GP is up for sale!

Autosport are most probably just trying it on for a headline. Claire W. seems to be type that will drive it into the ground before admitting defeat due to the family problems between her and her brother and not wanting to admit her management has caused major problems and her brother managed his own team way way better. I might be wrong but that us what I see, two siblings trying to one up the other.

Graz · 29 Apr 2019, 15:30 (Ref:3900498)

Williams was Frank Williams and Patrick Head. PH is retired (I know he's back consulting but it's a band aid and living in the past) and Frank is just a figurehead these days.

Williams will never be Williams as it was. Best to sell the F1 business and retire the name. Let someone else have a go and pump some money and different direction into it.

It's hampering itself by being 'Williams' and looking back and not forward. Claire in a recent interview was saying it took Frank 10 years to get Williams competitive and it can be done again. But that was Frank and F1 was very different, teams had 15 people and you could just buy a DFV/Hewland package and off you went (not quite that simple but you know what I mean). With the greatest respect to Claire, she's not Frank who was unbelievably single minded and relentless.

Williams are not going to recover from this latest low without being sold or becoming a B team for Mercedes or someone. They have sunken too low to come back by themselves. If they do become a B team, they are no longer Williams because they are not racing to win.

Lotus slipped into history once Chapman died and it didn't take that long. Lotus was Chapman. Williams is the same. Chapman and Williams/Head were visionary autocrats, different to say McLaren which Ron grew as an empire that was self sufficient enough to ultimately spit him out (but McLaren still dropped away from where it was as Ron lost control - self inflicted largely.

Let Williams go with some dignity at this stage. They can't complete with the big manufacturers with their "but we're Williams" business model.

S griffin · 30 Apr 2019, 20:52 (Ref:3900820)

I agree that Williams has not been the same since Frank left, although I don’t know how much influence PH had, nor how much he has now, apart from consultancy

Williams are holding on and it’s a shame a lot of hope has been a false dawn. To be fair to Clare she was thrust into a position just like that. No criticism at her and I’m sure others in the team are doing their best as well. But she seems to be missing something compared to Frank, who built the team out of a dream.

Lotus lost their way because they had no contingency plan, which meant they disappeared for a long time, so Chapman’s death was only part of it. But definitely Williams seem to be struggling without Frank. Different from Lotus. And McLaren seemed to have found a new leader in Zak Brown, even if their glory days are behind them

Williams will continue their own way like Frank always wanted to. They’ll continue going, but for how long?

Armco Bender · 12 May 2019, 07:42 (Ref:3903262)

4 and 5 seconds off the pole time in qualifying in Spain.Should only be lapped about 4 times this race.

wnut · 12 May 2019, 09:28 (Ref:3903271)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Armco Bender

4 and 5 seconds off the pole time in qualifying in Spain.Should only be lapped about 4 times this race.

Be interesting to see if they can fall short of the 107% rule before the end of the year.

**GTRMagic** · 12 May 2019, 11:12 (Ref:3903288)

Be interesting to see if the driver line up remains intact for much longer..

nobster · 13 May 2019, 08:23 (Ref:3903433)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Be interesting to see if the driver line up remains intact for much longer..

Kubica out, Latifi in....?

Armco Bender · 13 May 2019, 08:27 (Ref:3903435)

You can sack the driver but a turtle is still a turtle.

Mike E · 13 May 2019, 09:28 (Ref:3903447)

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Be interesting to see if the driver line up remains intact for much longer..

What would be the point of changing it? Russell beat Norris and Albon to the F2 title but can barely outrun his own shadow in the Williams. It would be irresponsible for a manager to try to place a young driver in that car now. Career suicide.

midgetman · 13 May 2019, 14:34 (Ref:3903501)

Oh I don't know. There must be loads of no-hopers with bags of gold who'd like to tell their grandchildren they once raced F1. Anyone who couldn't seriously cut the mustard in a proper car would be ideal.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

chillibowl · 13 May 2019, 14:40 (Ref:3903505)

Quote:

Originally Posted by midgetman

Oh I don't know. There must be loads of no-hopers with bags of gold who'd like to tell their grandchildren they once raced F1. Anyone who couldn't seriously cut the mustard in a proper car would be ideal.

certainly they are around and Williams is just the team to find them!

some might even say that finding them is their super power!

billy bleach · 13 May 2019, 16:18 (Ref:3903515)

Quote:

Originally Posted by midgetman

Oh I don't know. There must be loads of no-hopers with bags of gold who'd like to tell their grandchildren they once raced F1. Anyone who couldn't seriously cut the mustard in a proper car would be ideal.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Hasn’t Kubica got a significant pot of gold?....

loon · 13 May 2019, 17:12 (Ref:3903524)

Quote:

Originally Posted by billy bleach

Hasn’t Kubica got a significant pot of gold?....

But why would, at this stageIof Kubica's career would he want to spend all that good money to tool around at the back of the field

**bjohnsonsmith** · 13 May 2019, 17:26 (Ref:3903528)

Quote:

Originally Posted by loon

But why would, at this stageIof Kubica's career would he want to spend all that good money to tool around at the back of the field

I don't see it myself but if he did, he'd also require at least a couple of sponsors, who are willing to sink a lot of money into the team, while the team turns itself around.

GT6 · 13 May 2019, 18:36 (Ref:3903544)

They have a good engine and bags of experience so why are they so far behind everyone else?

peebee2 · 13 May 2019, 21:03 (Ref:3903568)

Quote:

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

I don't see it myself but if he did, he'd also require at least a couple of sponsors, who are willing to sink a lot of money into the team, while the team turns itself around.

I suspect the Purina billions, the family business, could cover it.

midgetman · 13 May 2019, 21:52 (Ref:3903576)

Quote:

Originally Posted by peebee2

I suspect the Purina billions, the family business, could cover it.

Purina cat food? I never realised that.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

midgetman · 13 May 2019, 21:54 (Ref:3903579)

Quote:

Originally Posted by loon

But why would, at this stageIof Kubica's career would he want to spend all that good money to tool around at the back of the field

People were speculating about driver changes, my suggestion was in response to that not that RK was paying.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Mike Harte · 13 May 2019, 22:02 (Ref:3903580)

Quote:

Originally Posted by peebee2

I suspect the Purina billions, the family business, could cover it.

If you are referring to the animal feed/food company, they are part of Nestlé.

peebee2 · 13 May 2019, 22:15 (Ref:3903585)

Sorry, I’m sure I typed ‘Sofina.’ Spellchecker!

Also put 200m into McLaren recently.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 13 May 2019, 22:38 (Ref:3903588)

Quote:

Originally Posted by peebee2

I suspect the Purina billions, the family business, could cover it.

Purina, as in cat food? Nestlé own them. Who are Sofina?

Last2LiftOff · 13 May 2019, 23:08 (Ref:3903593)

ROKiT Williams Racing - Our Partners

Quote:

Sofina Foods is one of Canada's leading manufacturers of primary and further processed protein products for retail and food service customers. The privately-held company manufactures pork, beef, turkey, chicken and fish products which are sold and distributed throughout North America, South America and Asia Pacific.

**bjohnsonsmith** · 13 May 2019, 23:29 (Ref:3903595)

So Sofina Foods are already a partner with Wiliams. If there is no improvement at Williams and they continue to run at the back of the grid, apart from contractual obligations, what incentive is there for Sofina Foods to sink more money into Williams?

midgetman · 13 May 2019, 23:34 (Ref:3903596)

So the Kubica family own this Canadian food conglomerate? Did they in effect subsidise his drive?

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

**GTRMagic** · 13 May 2019, 23:48 (Ref:3903597)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike E

What would be the point of changing it? Russell beat Norris and Albon to the F2 title but can barely outrun his own shadow in the Williams. It would be irresponsible for a manager to try to place a young driver in that car now. Career suicide.

Errr....

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
I have a little plan - Help needed	ECW Dan Selby	My Track Designs	2	21 Apr 2011 15:32
BMW? are they loosing the performance advantage they once had?	Nismo	Formula One	38	3 Jun 2005 10:22
Could have, Should have, Would have: Dennis on MS	11tenths	Formula One	13	21 Feb 2005 13:14
They don't make drivers like they used to...	TimD	Motorsport History	1	29 Mar 2001 06:35
They're Boxy, But They're Good.	TimD	Road Car Forum	10	5 Nov 2000 13:42