Spanish GP: Williams arrives in Europe to bounce back

The Williams case is more than atypical at the start of this season. Nico Rosberg, the team’s number 1 driver, has finished on top in more than half of the free practice sessions held between Friday and Saturday morning. Yet, in qualifying or in the race, the German has never managed to score significant points. So far, he has a total of 3.5 points, which also represents Williams’ total in the Constructors’ Championship. He is therefore hoping for a more favorable situation in Barcelona.

His teammate, Kazuki Nakajima, cannot say the same since he retired three times in four races. In Spain, and unlike in Bahrain, his FW31 will be equipped with the new parts that Rosberg already had. The expectations for the Japanese driver are therefore heightened.

Nico Rosberg – Racing Driver

« It’s quite an exhilarating start to the season. We should have arrived in Europe with more than 3.5 points, collected over the first four races. We were competitive in Australia, but things haven’t gone as planned since. We will have some aerodynamic upgrades for Barcelona, which I hope will help us position ourselves a bit further up the grid. It would be nice to score big points as a reward for the hard work and pressure the team in Grove is under. »

« Since we did a lot of testing in Barcelona, it’s a track we all know very well. Last year, I had a good race with the goal of finishing in 6th place, but a technical problem took me out of the race. The only concern is that this track is constantly evolving and having a good set-up can be challenging. »

« Like all the other teams, we have improved our car for Spain, and I hope this will make the difference, we need it. »

Kazuki Nakajima – Racing Driver

« It was a tough start to the season for me. I retired three times in four races. I’m putting these Grand Prix behind me by focusing on the work ahead. There are still 13 races left, and I am determined to achieve much better results for myself and my team. »

« It’s nice to be back in Europe. I went to the factory to talk to my engineers for the Barcelona race and used the simulator to prepare myself as much as possible for the track.

« I really like this track on which I have a lot of experience. Last year, I had a good qualifying session and then scored two points for the team. As I haven’t done so since the beginning of the season, I hope to score here in Barcelona and that it will be the start of a new chapter for me. »

« I didn’t have any new parts on my car in Bahrain and I’m looking forward to having them. I’m sure this new package will be a step forward, but everything is relative to what the other teams are doing. »