Williams call on "gambling Gods" to resurrect Las Vegas success story

Sam Hall
Wednesday 30 November 2022 11:51

Jost Capito hopes the "gambling Gods" are on Williams' side in Las Vegas given what he feels will be the unique pressure weighing on the team ahead of F1's visit next year.

Williams may be a backmarker team in modern F1 but its history is illustrious as it is second only to Ferrari in terms of the number of constructors' titles won - nine to 16.

The team's success story began at the start of the 1980s, with Las Vegas playing a central role with two races staged around the car park of Caesar's Palace.

Reflecting on those glory days, team principal Capito said: “Formula 1 was in Vegas in ’81 and ’82 and that was very successful for Williams.

"In ’81, Alan Jones won with a 20-second gap so really dominated and, in ’82, Williams didn’t win but Keke Rosberg sealed his championship in Vegas.

READ MORE...F1 not ruling out sprint at every grand prix “With all that, it adds some additional pressure to the team to perform well in ’23 and I hope that the gambling Gods in Vegas will be on our side.”

Speaking to 2009 champion and Williams senior advisor Jenson Button, assessing the prospects of a repeat performance, Capito said: “With you in the car, I think it would be possible.”

In response, Button quipped: "Exactly! I'm coming back!"

For 2023, F1 will race along the iconic Strip, offering a far more enticing prospect compared to the previous layout of more than 40 years ago.

Comparing the two tracks, Capito said: “It was a different time. The parking is now gone where the race was held.

“Now, it goes down the Strip, behind the hotels and then is coming back, so it will be absolutely fantastic.”