Italian GP: So close to the first points for Williams Racing
By Williams Racing
September 7 2020
In what was a mixed up race with pit stops followed by a Safety Car after Leclerc's crash and then a Red Flag and a race restart the Williams Racing Team would see their drivers finish in 11th for Nicholas Latifi and 14th for George Russell. Nicholas had benefited from pitting early in the race prior to the Safety Car and the red flag. This would see him when race was restarted starting inside the top ten. George was not so fortunate as at the restart he would be down the order. But despite their best efforts both drivers would struggle having faster cars pass them in the shortened race. For Nicholas he would drop outside the top ten and was unable to move forward and unfortunatly that small piece of luck did not fall his way and he would finish outside the points. Frustrating to say the least on what was the last race meeting where the Williams family would be in charge.
Williams Racing Italian Race Review
Race Notes
• Nicholas Latifi finished 11th and George Russell 14th in an
action-packed Italian Grand Prix
• George started the race 19th, with Nicholas lining up 20th
, both on the medium compound tyre
• Nicholas pitted on lap 16 for the hard Pirelli tyre, with George
pitting for the hard compound on lap 22
once the pitlane had reopened following Magnussen’s retirement at the
pit entrance.
• Both drivers took the opportunity to change onto the medium compound
during the red flag period
after Leclerc’s crashed caused substantial damage to the barriers
• After 43 years and 739 Grands Prix, this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix
marked the final race for the
Williams family in Formula One
Nicholas Latifi:
"It was a very tricky and eventful race. I lucked into the position
having completed the pitstop prior to the red flag. It was nice that I
got to experience a top 10 starting position with the restart following
the red flag. We are still struggling on those opening laps, with cold
tyres and dirty air. It seems that the other cars can do much more,
whilst I am trying not to crash and maintain the position. I am
disappointed that I slipped out of the points. Once things settled down,
I think the pace was alright and I managed to catch Kimi which was nice
to have some kind of a battle. I am happy with the overall result, but
it would have been nice to reward Claire and the team with some points
today. It's been a huge privilege to race for Claire and Frank. From the
moment I joined the team I felt right at home, and it was very clear the
atmosphere and culture they’ve instilled is valued. You can understand
why so many of the employees’ love working for them and the team. I’m
going to miss them, Formula One is going to miss them, and I want to
wish them all the best of luck for the future wherever life takes them."
George Russell:
"It was an unfortunate race and we were unlucky not to pit before
the red flag. The car was
feeling really good, we were just slow on the straight. Every time I
overtook a car, they just passed me on the straight. It is a shame,
because I think we could have scored points today. The car was feeling
fast but that is just racing. I am really happy to see the top four
finishers today; it is absolutely awesome for them. It’s also the end of
an era and it’s been a privilege to be a part of it. What Claire and
Frank have done for the team, and for the people that work for the team,
is extraordinary. They’ve always kept them in their hearts and that’s
still the case now."
Dave Robson, Senior Race Engineer:
"The race was fairly mixed-up following a series of incidents, which,
along with some retirements, allowed us to race to a strong result. It
is very frustrating to beat all our main rivals with Nicholas, and still
finish just short of the points.
Although the drivers both raced well, and the car worked well today, we
just lacked the raw pace to trouble the top ten. Following the
disappointment of yesterday, it was nice to race hard and the experience
we gained today will help us to improve as a race team. Our attention
now turns to Mugello and the Tuscan Grand Prix. The circuit will place
demands on the car that are quite different to those of Monza and we
look forward to taking on the challenge of a new venue for Formula One."
Track: Autodromo di Monza, Italy
Lap Length: 5.793 km, 3.599 miles
Weather: Hot, sunny and dry
Temperature: Air: 28-29°C Track: 36-46°C
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