SILVERSTONE, England – Williams, seeking to build on its revival, was not content with second for Valtteri Bottas at the 2014 British GP on Sunday (July 07).
It was a day of mixed emotions for the former champion team whose prime driver, Felipe Massa, retired on the first lap in the aftermath of a severe crash involving Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen. Bottas saved the day by blasting through the field from 14th to second at the finish behind winner Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.
It was the best result so far of Bottas' career.
AIMING FOR THIRD ON LOG
Rob Smedley, head of vehicle performance at Williams, said after the race: "The cup is half-full. I'm hugely disappointed to have a car that quick but have only one of them finish."
Williams is fourth in the Constructors’ championship with 103 points; 2013 was a miserable year as it only managed five points. Smedley has his sights set on third place in 2014 as the team is only three points behind Ferrari.
Smedley, who joined Williams at the start of the 2014 season after previously working as Massa's race engineer at Ferrari, said that the team had more work to do to maintain the improvement.
Smedley said: "The message is that it was good but it's not good enough, keep pushing."
The mood around the Williams team has been transformed through recent few months. Smedley praised Bottas, who's been on the podium on consecutive races.
Smedley said: "He's a great driver. His racecraft is phenomenal and he's super quick."
‘THE CAR WAS FLYING’
There was little to celebrate for Massa who started his 200th GP on Sunday (July 07) and is unlikely to forget it. He got off to a bad start because of clutch problems then found his race cut short before it had really begun.
Massa said: "The car was flying. Today we would have both finished on the podium."
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2014 F1 season – fresh reports every day.
It was a day of mixed emotions for the former champion team whose prime driver, Felipe Massa, retired on the first lap in the aftermath of a severe crash involving Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen. Bottas saved the day by blasting through the field from 14th to second at the finish behind winner Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton.
It was the best result so far of Bottas' career.
AIMING FOR THIRD ON LOG
Rob Smedley, head of vehicle performance at Williams, said after the race: "The cup is half-full. I'm hugely disappointed to have a car that quick but have only one of them finish."
Williams is fourth in the Constructors’ championship with 103 points; 2013 was a miserable year as it only managed five points. Smedley has his sights set on third place in 2014 as the team is only three points behind Ferrari.
Smedley, who joined Williams at the start of the 2014 season after previously working as Massa's race engineer at Ferrari, said that the team had more work to do to maintain the improvement.
Smedley said: "The message is that it was good but it's not good enough, keep pushing."
The mood around the Williams team has been transformed through recent few months. Smedley praised Bottas, who's been on the podium on consecutive races.
Smedley said: "He's a great driver. His racecraft is phenomenal and he's super quick."
‘THE CAR WAS FLYING’
There was little to celebrate for Massa who started his 200th GP on Sunday (July 07) and is unlikely to forget it. He got off to a bad start because of clutch problems then found his race cut short before it had really begun.
Massa said: "The car was flying. Today we would have both finished on the podium."
Stay with Wheels24 for the 2014 F1 season – fresh reports every day.