11/12/2020
NEWS STORY
Today's press conference with Simon Roberts, Frederic Vasseur and Toyoharu Tanabe.
Simon, must good to have George back in the garage this weekend?
Simon Roberts: It's great to have him back. Feels like he has come home for the weekend, which is really nice.
Tell us a little bit more about the impact he has had today. What sort of feedback did you get from him in FP1?
SR: I missed the engineers' debrief from FP1, but he came back in a really good place. He had a fabulous weekend last weekend. I'm sure he's a bit disappointed inside but we gave him a really warm welcome back ands we are genuinely pleased to see him. His programme went according to plan. We were running a few rakes and things, looking at stuff for next year. But he settled in the car really quick. I'm sure maybe on that first lap he was trying to find his braking points again in our car but yeah, he didn't put a foot wrong and got everything out of the car we expected. We move on to FP2, so we are looking for a good weekend again.
Yesterday, George said he will be a Williams driver in 2021. After his strong showing last weekend, how confident can you be of that?
SR: I guess from the inside we've known for quite some time what a talent he is. Last weekend he got a chance to show that talent on the world stage, and we are really pleased he got that opportunity. We've got Nicholas and George signed for next year and the main thing we are working on right now is making sure we give them the best car possible, so yeah, I'm as confident as I can be given that.
Just a few words about Jack Aitken's debut last weekend. What impressed you most about him?
SR: Jack, we'd seen him in the car in Austria and he adopted a similar approach. He starts well; he builds through the weekend. He's very competent in the car. He gave us good feedback. It wasn't like we had a complete rookie in the car; he's been in our simulator, he knows the team well, so he slotted in really well. In a way, it's a shame couldn't see him again this weekend, just as it's a shame we couldn't see George in the Mercedes again this weekend, because I think it's a big ask. We didn't overload Jack, we were careful with him and we made sure we built up the way the car works through the weekend and we gave him just enough to get the job done. But by the time we got into quali and the race he was as up to speed with our car as we expected and delivered a good result. We wanted him to push and he did so we were really pleasesd with what he achieved over the weekend.
And what can you tell us about Jack's future with the team?
SR: At the moment we're still looking at what we do for support drivers next year. It's an open question and I can't really say any more than that right now.
Tanabe-san, can you sum up 2020 for us? Your target was to win the World Championship.
Toyoharu Tanabe: Because of the COVID-19 situation, it was a very unusual season. But everybody who took part in the season did well to maintain the situation in the paddock. So this season is one people will remember for a long time. Formula 1, the FIA and the organisers and all teams did very well in a very stressful season and to get to the end of the season. It was good. In terms of Honda's point of view, we did not get the result we wanted, but there were some highlights, like Max winning the 70th Anniversary race in Silverstone and then Pierre got his first win in Monza, the team's home race, which is the 15th race as a team. So we keep pushing hard this weekend to end the season the best possible. Also, after that we will start preparing for next year.
This morning during FP1 we saw Yuki Tsunoda walking around with Alpha Tauri clothing on and of course he's secured his super licence for next year as well. He's had a very strong end to the season in Formula 2. Do you think he's ready for Formula 1?
TT: Yes. We will see his talent in Formula 1, well, we hope to see his talent in Formula 1 next year. He did a very good job in Formula 2 this season and then he learned a lot the previous test in the Alpha Tauri car at Monza and he keeps working hard to learn Formula 1 and then should be a competitive Formula 1 driver.
Fred, can we look back on the year with you as well? How much progress do you feel Alfa Romeo has made this year?
Frederic Vasseur: We had a very tough season overall, but I think we understood quite soon, into the season in Barcelona and then in Spielberg that the season will be difficult with the tight schedule we had but after the first couple of seasons, when I think we had a good reaction of the team, we put two cars into Q2 a couple of times, the drivers into the points and we did some good improvements and good step forwards, even if we had to fight with the COVID situation and financial crises so that we were not able to do all the development expected but it is like it is. I think it was the same for the teams around us but the team had a good reaction. Very often we were fighting with Ferrari on track and it was (unclear). Now let's see what could happen next year and the step forward that we can do.
Let's talk about next year. What have Ferrari told you about the new power unit you're going to receive?
FV: It will be better!
Have they given you any numbers? How confident...
FV: No, no. For sure if I have numbers I won't give them to you!
Well Fred, there's been a technical re-shuffle at Ferrari ahead of next year's cost cap. Your former chief designer, I think he was, Simone Resta is off to Haas as part of their technical partnership. Can you expect something similar at Alfa Romeo?
FV: No. We don't have the same approach as Haas and I don't want to make any comment on the Guenther project and Gene's project. We are independent. We have a good collaboration with Ferrari on the engine and on the gearbox but that's it. We want to develop the car by ourselves and to continue like we are doing the last couple of years.
Video Conference
(Dieter Rencken - Racing Lines) For Tanabe-san, the power unit for next year, what areas will you be focusing on? Will it be more the hybrid area or will it be the ICE or both? What weaknesses have you picked up this year that you need to strengthen for next year?
TT: So, we have been learning our weakness in the past and then we try to improve every single area, not only engine, ICE but also ERS and then we try to make them as a pack for next year's PU.
(Scott Mitchell - The Race) Simon, as well as what you were saying about support drivers for next year, there's obviously the long term situation in terms of the leadership of the team. Where do stand on that and how important is it to have things in place because I guess to define the team's long term direction, which is important, you obviously need to know who's going to be leading that direction?
SR: Yeah, absolutely, and we're working on that right now but I can't say anything about it this weekend so yeah, situation normal, lots of discussion with Dorilton and when we're ready we'll be able to announce how we intend to move forward.
(Scott Mitchell - The Race) Simon because you've had the change in ownership, just wondering sort of how, sort of, the direction that had been laid out before in sort of Claire's time, sort of how much has that sort of been reaffirmed as basically the way you want to proceed? How much has it sort of changed in the last couple of months behind the scenes?
SR: That's a really good question. So from the cultural fit, with the team, there's a lot of synergy between the road map that Claire had laid out and we're staying very true to that. We want to be a great place to work. We want to make sure we're caring and kind to all the people who work for us and we want to just do all the right things. In terms of the technology though, we now have the opportunity to invest and that's what we're doing. That's started already. There's not much impact of that on the car we're racing on now but we will start to see that next year. Really this year is part of a long-term strategy, I always say, and that will build slowly over the next five years. The main thing is, we want to invest wisely, we don't want to make mistakes and we want to play the long game and that's what we're doing.
(Luke Smith - Autosport) Simon and Fred, it's been quite an interesting year for F1 politically. I think we had a lot of collaboration between the teams in the early part of the year on things such as project pitlane and getting all ventilators to fight the pandemic but then when we did return to racing, the old controversies and the infighting seemed to return again. I just wondered, how do you look at this year politically? Do you think F1 teams have learned to work together a bit more or are they still as fiercely opposed and competitive as always?
FV: For sure, at the end we will stay competitors but I think honestly that the reaction that the F1 - when I say, F1, it's F1: FOM, the FIA, all the teams - had together in March and April when we were in a very tough situation was an excellent move, compared to what happened in the past and we were able to correspond the regulations, to build up a new calendar, to sign the cost-cap, even to reduce the level of the cost-cap and I think that at this stage the reaction was very, very positive for F1 in general. Now we have to keep this momentum for the future and even if the competition is coming back each time that we are sitting around the table, but I think we have to keep it in mind that we were able to have this kind of reaction and to stick to it for the future.
SR: Yeah, I think we have to remember, we are all human beings and when you get a global crisis, it's a great opportunity for everyone to step up together and work collaboratively on that but as Fred said, when we're racing, we're fiercely competitive. We employ competitive drivers, we are all competitive engineers and managers of the teams, so we shouldn't forget that but behind the scenes there are always lots of discussions in Formula 1. Some of spills out to the public, some of it looks political but we race together and we need to race together, so I think it's situation normal.
Simon, staying with you, Luke mentioned project pitlane just then. The FIA has just released its report into the contribution of motor sport towards health, safety and the environment. Could you tell us a little bit about William's contribution during the COVID pandemic and also give us your thoughts on how the team and maybe motor sport more generally can contribute towards environmental protection in the future?
SR: Yes, we had 136 of our staff and around 60 people from Williams Advanced Engineering step up to help with the Penlon and the Smiths ventilator project through project pit lane. It was a fabulous thing for them to do as individuals but it was great that we could support that too. I think that just shows... not only the spirit that exists in motor sport but the fact that what we bring is a mindset, we bring a mindset where we will take on immense challenges and try and find solutions in the shortest possible lead time and in the face of the pandemic, that's what the world needed and that's what we and the people who work for us and people from the other seven teams in the UK that supported were able to do. So that was great and we're really proud of all that. I think, moving forward, we take a lot of stuff for granted. These are super efficient, the most efficient hybrid engine systems in the world that we're using and we're all very secret about them. We won't talk about the power numbers or how they work and stuff, which is what you'd expect, but there's a fantastic opportunity to take some of that knowledge, some of that learning and the experience that the engineers have and apply it to other sectors of the motor industry or other sectors of industry or life in general so we shouldn't be afraid of that. We have, through Williams Advanced Engineering, great examples of things we've done, using F1 technology as the backbone to improve refrigerators in supermarkets and stuff like that and create pods for carrying babies in ambulances. So there's lots to do, but I think the danger is we focus internally on the next race, the next season but people shouldn't be afraid of coming to the teams and asking for help and support. We've got great engineers, we've got great simulation tools and we use the most advanced materials in the world so we know some stuff and we can really help.
Tanabe-san, if Red Bull were to take over your engines in 2022, can you tell us a little bit about what they're taking on and also, what you have in Milton Keynes at your factory? Does it have everything you need to run a Formula 1 programme there?
TT: In Milton Keynes, we mainly develop and then manufacture the ERS system area, so the main ICE is developed in Sakura R&D in Japan. Anyway, it's a very complicated situation, especially in Honda Formula 1. The discussion ongoing now, so we haven't got any conclusion yet so we will consider every circumstance in our project...
And regarding your future Tanabe-san, you've been a Honda man throughout your career but also on the racing side in both Formula 1 and IndyCar. If Red Bull offered you a job, would you accept it?
TT: So, it's very much an unexpected question for me. At the moment I focus on this weekend and then next 2021 season. If something happens in the future, I will take time to consider carefully, for my future.
Is that a no comment?
TT: No comment!
(Dieter Rencken - Racing Lines) Tanabe-san, I'm terribly sorry that I'm focusing on you but could you clarify please whether the ICE for next year and the hybrid system will be completely new or a development or evolution of this year's versions?
TT: In the ICE, so not everything but pretty much new, updated. The ERS area, some of the parts will be updated, some of the parts will be carry over from this year. I can say a kind of mix. I cannot tell exactly brand new, but some areas new, some areas carry over, a combination.
(Luke Smith - Autosport) Fred, I wanted to know what the plans are for Robert Kubica, heading into 2021? Obviously he's served in a reserve role this year, made a lot of FP1 appearances. Are you looking to continue that relationship going into next year?
FV: I hope so, but for sure the season was difficult and mainly for Robert because he has to do, in parallel the DTM project and the Formula 1 and it was a crazy season, at least, a crazy six months but we would like to have him a little bit more into the car, a little bit more into the simulator to develop our tools and he's fully committed with us, he's doing a very good job and he showed us last week that the pace is still there and I'm very happy to keep Robert in the team for next year.
(Dieter Rencken - Racing Lines) To Fred and Simon please, reference the earlier question from Tom about the Ferrari/Haas co-operation going forward, 2022, Fred you said you weren't considering it. Could you give us the reasons why you're not please, and then Simon, is it something that Williams would consider, particularly given the fact that the alternative is to invest an awful lot of money in your facility?
SR: So we can see advantages but we don't want to become a B-team, so we want to retain our independence but we want to be more competitive so for us, looking forward, we're open to extending a relationship but the specification of that would depend on what we think we're strong at, internally, and where we think we need help and support. In simple terms, if we're good at something and we can do it - quicker to the market, quicker to the track - should focus on that. If there's something we can't do very well, then we should be prepared to buy that from whoever's got it available and under the cost-cap, you can't afford to be inefficient and that's what we're focusing on. We need to make sure that if we're making chassis, we're really good at making our chassis and we apply that to everything in the car. But we are independent, we're going to remain independent but there is scope for collaboration.
FV: Yeah, the projects are different from teams to teams and I think one of the big assets of the Sauber company today is the wind tunnel and we want to continue to invest in this and now, for sure, the plan is to stay independent with the system, with the budget cap and it makes also sense to develop more technology in house and to continue in this direction. But now I don't want to make any comment on the project of the others. I think that the philosophy of F1 is like this, the rule is on the paper now and we can have different approaches but I think that from our perspective, we have to continue to stay independent and even more independence in the future, even if the collaboration with Ferrari is good and we want to develop this kind of collaboration. But it's our project.