Brazilian GP: Williams Racing Grand Prix Preview

Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance:
Interlagos hosts the final Sprint Event of the season and so practice time before committing the car to Parc Fermé is very limited. Although not as demanding as Mexico City, São Paulo is still significantly above sea level and is a tricky circuit for the drivers to optimise. We will aim to finalise the power-unit and brake cooling setup early in FP1 and then work on the setup ahead of the evening qualifying session.

It is likely that a long DRS train will form in the Sprint Race and so overtaking may be difficult. Therefore, qualifying is very important, and this will be our primary focus until FP2. The Grand Prix will depend heavily on the performance of the tyres, which this weekend is from the middle of the Pirelli range. The track temperature will play a part on the tyre behaviour and, with the forecast currently looking tropical with rain and thunderstorms in the area on most days, it could be difficult to predict the optimum tyre strategy until the race is underway. Overtaking in the Grand Prix should be easier than in the Sprint Race.

Logan Sargeant continues his run of FP sessions in the FW44 and this weekend will drive Alex’s car during FP2. This is unusual for a Sprint Event and is more difficult than usual as Alex’s car will be in Parc Ferme during FP2. However, the experience that Logan will get is invaluable, and giving him another opportunity is a good investment in his future. He did an excellent job in Austin and Mexico City, and we are confident that he will do so again despite the unusual weekend format.

Nicholas Latifi:
I’m excited to get back going again for the last couple of races of the season. We’re kicking it off with Brazil and getting back into the Sprint Race events which feels like a very long time since we last had one of those. I always enjoy the fresh change to the schedule and having one practice session to get on with it before Qualifying. On paper, Brazil is not technically the most suited to our car, but the weather always offers a chance, which looks like it could play a factor this weekend, combined with the Sprint Race. We’ll be looking to take advantage of any opportunities.

Alex Albon:
Brazil is a really cool circuit, being one of the old school circuits with a lot of history and character. It’s also great seeing how passionate the fans are there, which makes it a great place to go racing. Heading into the last two races of the year, we obviously want to end the season on a good note, so we’ll give it everything we’ve got. Also, being a Sprint Race this weekend, it’s important to be on top of everything from the beginning of the week, so let’s see how we go.

Logan Sargeant:
I’m looking forward to getting back in the FW44 for FP2 in São Paulo. I can’t wait to keep progressing with the team and building on the experience I gained in Austin and Mexico City. To be given the opportunity to drive at such an iconic track like Interlagos with its banked corners and the Senna S is a great feeling. A massive thank you once again to everyone at Williams for giving me another chance to get behind the wheel.