Silverstone: Robert Kubica is hoping that an upgrade package introduced for the British Grand Prix can kick-start Williams’ season and herald this weekend’s celebrations of Frank Williams’ 50 years in charge.
The Pole, who has returned to Formula One this year after recovering from career-threatening injuries following a rally accident, said it is important the upgrades work to help determine the team’s progress.
“I hope, and this is the plan, that this is a first step,” he said. “We hope they will work well and give us a step forward. Although it will not be big, it’s still important.”
Williams has struggled this year. The team is without a point and has failed to progress from Q1, but despite languishing in pursuit of their rivals they remain defiantly optimistic 50 years on from their founder’s debut as team principal.
“We need to know they deliver what we’re expecting so, in the future, we can build up confidence and hopefully start to move in the right direction. Hopefully, also, this package can add some down-force which is so helpful in F1.”
Williams’ updates are concentrated on airflow around the ‘barge-boards’ to aid aerodynamic performance.
The team is using its home race weekend to celebrate Frank Williams’ five decades in F1, which began when he bought a Brabham chassis to enter the 1969 championship after creating Frank Williams Racing Cars.