Massa: Williams now trailing Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull in 2016
Felipe Massa says Williams have slipped behind three rivals after the Chinese Grand Prix, citing Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull as clearly ahead in both qualifying and race pace.
Felipe Massa has conceded that Williams are no longer part of Formula One’s leading group after the opening rounds of the 2016 season, identifying Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull as the teams now ahead of the Grove outfit.
Massa’s comments follow the Chinese Grand Prix, where he finished sixth for Williams. The Brazilian, who had been part of the team’s strong third-place finishes in the Constructors’ standings in both 2014 and 2015, acknowledged that the gap to the front has widened this year. “I think now there are three teams that are faster than us,” Massa told Brazil’s Globo, pointing to Mercedes, Ferrari and the resurgent Red Bull squad.
Massa said Williams could sometimes approach Red Bull’s pace in qualifying, depending on the circuit, but that Red Bull’s race performance was clearly superior. "We can get a little closer, depending on the track, to Red Bull in qualifying. But we know that in the race they have a much stronger car," he explained.
Williams’ changing position in the power unit era
Williams had capitalised on the introduction of hybrid power units in 2014, finishing as best of the rest behind Mercedes in both 2014 and 2015. The team’s partnership with Mercedes as an engine supplier had been a key factor in those results. However, the 2016 season has seen Red Bull, now running Renault engines, return to form, pushing Williams to the fourth-fastest team in the field.
The team’s FW38 chassis showed promise at Shanghai, a circuit that should have suited its characteristics, but Massa admitted there was little more he could extract from the car. “I finished in the best position I could,” he said after the race, suggesting that the team’s current package is not enough to challenge for podiums without external factors.
Focus on development and understanding rivals
Massa called for Williams to analyse where their car is losing out to the top three teams. “We really need to understand where the other cars are better than ours,” he said. With the season still in its early stages, the team faces the challenge of closing the gap through development and race strategy. Massa stressed that the team would “continue to fight and to work”, but he made no secret of the difficulty ahead.
The next round, the Russian Grand Prix, will offer another test of Williams’ progress, but for now, the team is left chasing a trio of rivals who have moved ahead in both outright speed and race pace.
For more on Williams’ previous performance during the hybrid era, seeWilliams Confirms Strong Budget Position for 2014 F1 Season
