Formula 1 is a very difficult championship where fine margins can make a significant difference over a season.
The grid of 20 cars is now more competitive than in previous years with the top 10 in the final part of qualifying for the Mexico City Grand Prix seperated by just 1.4 seconds.
Max Verstappen clinched his fourth world championship last time out at the Las Vegas Grand Prix despite not having the quickest car for much of the year.
The Dutchman has dominated the ground effect era and will head into the 2025 season looking for his fifth title.
As Verstappen celebrates another title, there is one team further down the grid that the entire Formula 1 paddock is feeling sorry for ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix.
The Formula 1 paddock are feeling sorry for Williams
Williams have had a very difficult run, and the British team have been rooted to the foot of the timesheets for multiple seasons.
They are now slowly making steps forward up the order but haven’t yet been able to score points on a consistent basis.
James Vowles is leading the team forward after he moved from Mercedes, and they have shown good speed with Alex Albon and Argentine Franco Colapinto.
The team is worth £981m but they have suffered a lot of crash damage in recent weeks with both Albon and Colapinto crashing at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
Colapinto suffered a heavy impact in qualifying in Las Vegas which turned into a 50G impact, causing him to start from the pit lane last time out.
The official Formula 1 website reports that the entire F1 paddock is feeling sorry for Williams after not scoring a point in the last three rounds.
They are now likely to finish ninth in the Constructors’ Championship as they are 29 points behind RB who sit in eighth place.
Williams may be optimistic ahead of next season as Albon stays with the team and is joined by Spaniard Carlos Sainz.
Carlos Sainz may be perfect to lead Williams forward
Sainz was told he wouldn’t continue with Ferrari in 2025 earlier this year to make room for seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton to join the team.
The Spaniard had few options at the front of the field as Red Bull weren’t interested, and Mercedes opted for their highly rated junior driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli.
Sainz spent four seasons at Ferrari and will be able to use that experience to push Williams up the order next season.
It will be a different experience for him as he will step back from challenging for race wins to scrapping for the lower points-paying positions.
Leave feedback about this