EC83 Wrote:
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> Williams looking solid - P9 and P10 is
> disappointingly not representative of their true
> pace. Massa has been out of shape an awful lot,
> but if that's what's needed in order to find the
> limits of the car, then cool. Once he gets on top
> of this he's going to be pretty awesome.
I think the extreme positiveness of their form at Bahrain testing has raised expectations a bit beyond where they should be, and so P 9 & 10 plus a grid penalty for Bottas feels a bit dispiriting. But as I've gone to pains to explain to the usual
"oh noes total disaster and disgrace brigade" on Facebook, we very much have to manage expectations of Williams and put it all into perspective.
Firstly two cars into Q3 at Melbourne is night and day better than at this stage last year, so a significant step forward has been made. Furthermore the conditions so far may not have revealed the true form book of the field, particularly with today's rain mixing it up a bit and it's clear that Williams failed to get inters "switched on" during Q3 and perhaps should have plumped for full wets like the Mercs did. That may have propelled them back in front of the McLaren and Ferrari, but we can't know that for sure.
Expectations need to be managed because it was perhaps a bit unrealistic to either hope or expect a Brawn style turn around from no-where to domination after last years shambles, but there is much more potential at Williams this year than there was last year with the very real prospect of them moving back up the through field during the race tomorrow.
I think it's probably a bit too much to expect or demand a podium... but if they can at least match last years overall points haul, or better still beat it during the race tomorrow... then they're off to a satisfactory start.