A “rare chance” for Williams with 2 races in Austria

The 2020 season will begin this weekend with the Austrian GP at Red Bull Ring in a special atmosphere. The health measures still in force with the Covid-19 pandemic have forced the organizers of the F1 to review the calendar.

The discipline will notably be contested for two weeks at Spielberg with two Grands Prix, an opportunity for the teams to test their developments in racing conditions in similar conditions on a unique track.

“We were excited by the improvements made since the end of 2019 when we brought the car to Barcelona, ​​but we are aware that we will still have to work hard and take every opportunity that presents itself to move up the pack. We also know that the teams have had time to improve their cars since February”, commented Dave Robson, the chief race engineer.

“The 2020 F1 season is a little different and we will contest the first two races at the Red Bull Ring as a result. The layout and tire choices will be the same for both events. If the weather conditions do not change, it will be a rare chance to test the cars and drivers over two race weekends in very similar conditions,” underlined the engineer of the British team.

Si Williams seemed to progress during the winter, the staff remains cautious about their chances of results as the deficit to be filled is significant.

“More than ever, predicting the pace of competition is proving difficult and futile, said Dave Robson. Our first tasks will be focused on optimizing the car, ensuring it is reliable and competitive before tackling the series of races that await us. George (Russell) and Nicholas (Latifs) are both used to this circuit and so we can concentrate on engineering on Friday. »

Discover our new presentation of the 2020 F1 season in AUTO issue 2267hebdo, available now in digital version on all platforms and on newsstands.