Williams aims for at least the top 4 in 2018

Twice third in the Manufacturers' standings during the first two seasons of the V6 turbo/hybrid Power Units era, Williams Martini Racing has not been able to do better than fifth place in the last two years.

In 2017, the British team had to deal with the departure of Valtteri Bottas in Mercedes, while allowing Lance stroll to make his full-time debut in F1.

But facing the tandem Esteban Ocon – Sergio Pérez, very consistent and efficient last year, the Grove team was unable to get ahead of Vijay Mallya’s team in the Manufacturers’ ranking.

With the undoubtedly even more marked influence of Paddy Lowe, technical director of Williams, on the FW41 of 2018, one of the historic teams of the championship does not hide its minimal ambition for this season, despite competition which could strengthen, in particular with the feared return of McLaren et Renault.

“I think it's going to be incredibly difficult this year, comments Claire Williams, Team Principal-Assistant to Williams, quoted by ESPN. McLaren has their new engine and Renault has invested a lot in their team infrastructure, I think there will be a lot more competition, unfortunately, this year.

But it is our responsibility that they do not overtake us in the championship, and we also have Force India who are a fantastic team and who absolutely deserve their fourth place from last year.

I'm not going to set a goal, I think it's dangerous to do so, but we can't finish fifth or lower this year »

Lance Stroll will compete in his second season in 2018 and will be supported by the Russian Sergey Sirotkin, preferred to Robert Kubica for the second available seat, after long weeks of uncertainty. Williams won a podium in 2017 thanks to Stroll in Azerbaijan.