Robson: Some of the FW45’s weaknesses will come to the fore at Interlagos

The Williams team is preparing for the weekend in Sao Paulo and foresees in advance that some characteristics of the Brazilian circuit may not be suitable for the FW45, but the other characteristics make us hope that the advantages of the car will still appear, and this gives hope to earn points again.

Dave Robson, chief race engineer: “This weekend will be the last sprint of the season. Although Interlagos is located significantly lower than the Mexican circuit, it is still at an altitude of 800 meters above sea level, and this affects the efficiency of the chassis and the operation of the cooling systems.

We performed well in Mexico City, where Alex earned points for the third race in a row, but Logan also had a confident race. However, the AlphaTauri team is now in very good form, and while we are of course not writing off Alfa Romeo and Haas, AlphaTauri could well be our main rival, who is also fighting for seventh place in the Constructors’ Championship. But we will look to build on the success we had last weekend and aim to earn points on both Saturday and Sunday.

The lap at Interlagos is short, but there is a very difficult second sector, which will reveal some of the weaknesses of the FW45. However, the long high-speed section of the ring, from Turn 12 to Turn 1, is quite suitable for us, so our car should be able to handle the first and last sectors quite competitively.

Pirelli tire manufacturers have brought medium-hard rubber compounds to Brazil, which should be well suited to this circuit. However, judging by the forecasts, asphalt surface temperatures promise to be high, so most likely the tires will have to be protected both during the sprint and during the sprint. and in the race on Sunday.”

Alex Albon: “As we head to Brazil for the final round of a series of three Grands Prix in a row, separated by weeks, we know that racing at this circuit is always unpredictable and that the weather plays a major role.

The track there is excellent, with a very organic configuration, and although its characteristics do not always suit our car, as Williams is currently having a good run of productive races, we will do everything we can to continue this.”

Logan Sargent: “I am in a fighting mood for the Brazilian stage, whose program includes sprints for the last time this season. Our team has completed two Grand Prix in a row with confidence and if we manage to qualify well, it could change the course of the entire weekend.

If we succeed, and if Sunday goes like the last two, our business will go much better. Last year I did a training on the Brazilian circuit and I really enjoyed it. I want to keep making progress and will try to make sure this weekend is positive too.”