Williams ended Friday at the Belgian Grand Prix of Formula 1 with signs of progress, although it acknowledges that it still needs to reduce the gap to its direct rivals in the midfield pack. The team used the free practice sessions at Spa-Francorchamps to evaluate different setup solutions before the qualifying session on Saturday.
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Alex Albon highlighted that the car’s behavior was slightly better compared to the British GP. According to the driver, the work done throughout the day could help the team find a more competitive path for the rest of the weekend.
“The car is behaving marginally better this weekend compared to Silverstone, so it’s a step in the right direction,” said Albon. He also explained that both drivers participated in an extensive testing program during Friday’s activities.
“Carlos and I tested several different items on the car, which we will now analyze tonight to find the best setup for qualifying and the race,” he added. Despite the progress, the Thai-British driver admitted that the team still faces a significant challenge to catch up with its closest competitors.
“We have a long way to go to reach the midfield pack, but tomorrow will be about maximizing the package we have available,” he concluded.
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On the other side of the garage, Carlos Sainz had a more complicated day. The Spaniard revealed that he faced a problem with his car in FP1, which compromised the planned program for the first session of the day.
“It was a complicated day. We had a problem with the car in FP1, so the session was not representative, as we couldn’t carry out the setup work we wanted,” said Sainz. In FP2, the driver managed to improve, although he suffered damage at some point during the session.
“In FP2, we made good steps and put the car in a better window, but I had some damage at some point and it was not a clean session either. Tonight, we will analyze everything to find solutions, improve the car’s balance and, hopefully, be in a better situation tomorrow,” concluded the Spanish driver.
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