Williams 'close to Ferrari' on 2022 car focus

Williams head of vehicle performance Dave Robson has hinted the team is close to fully switching focus to the 2022 car.

The Grove-based team has shown signs of improvement across the first four races of the campaign, although has still failed to break into a points-scoring position despite mixing it with the midfield in qualifying.

Asked how much of a split the team has between the 2021 car and the one for next year after Ferrari suggested it had a 90 to 95 per cent focus on 2022, Robson said: "We are probably not too far away from that, I don't think.

"Certainly, the time in the wind tunnel is almost entirely next year's car. A massively high proportion of the aero department are all working on next year's car and the design office the same.

"We are just in the final throes of the last new bits for this car. We are probably very similar to Ferrari with these percentages."

Williams has updated the car throughout the early stages of the season and still plans to develop it in an attempt to score points.

Commenting on how much development work is in the pipeline, Robson added: "There is still some. There are a few bits and pieces we are not fully on top of.

"There are a few test pieces we have had on the car, taken back off and still refining so I think there is a bit more to come from it.

"It probably isn't going to change our world massively as the season goes on but there is still more to come so we will keep pushing. I think we can eke a bit more out of it."

Related

More F1 news

Latest F1 news

Oscar Piastri stunned by brutal Charles Leclerc attack

• Yesterday 22:57

Daniel Ricciardo heading to iconic race: 'Never been more excited'

• Yesterday 21:57

F1 star Charles Leclerc bought an incredible new £15m yacht and his wife Alexandra christened it

• Yesterday 21:14

Red Bull fury over 'childish' McLaren as 'animosity' festers between F1 rivals

• Yesterday 20:28

Jealous of Mercedes? Lewis Hamilton fears Ferrari F1 development path

• Yesterday 19:43

Red Bull target sensational Oscar Piastri move with Max Verstappen future uncertain

• Yesterday 18:57