Bahrain GP: Williams event review

The team return from the inaugural race of the season in Bahrain with just one point following Rubens' 10th place. Sam Michael de-briefs the weekend from a technical perspective.

Q: Did the performance of the FW32 match your pre-season expectations?

SM: We had quite a few issues to sort out in the days leading up to the Grand Prix and it became apparent early on that we would have some fire-fighting to do in the build-up to the race to ensure we finished on Sunday. Because of that, we had three or four things on the FW32 in Bahrain that we couldn't change quickly. Most of those elements can be corrected over the next couple of races and that should offer a good step in performance.

Q: Rubens set the sixth fastest lap of the race. Does that give us an indication of the car's true potential?

SM: Not really. When Rubens set that time he actually had some damage on his car. We expect to be stronger in forthcoming races.

Q: How did the tyres hold up during the race, particularly during the early stages when the car was at its heaviest?

SM: Tyres weren't a problem. The option was the strongest tyre throughout the race. The prime was good, but it offered less grip.

Q: Did the team have any reliability problems during the course of the weekend?

SM: Yes. We had some issues during practice but, through a huge amount of effort and late nights put in by the team's mechanics, we managed to keep them contained.

Q: Were you pleased with the performance of the Cosworth engine?

SM: Yes. The engine is good and the crew in Northampton have done an exceptional job in a short space of time.

Q: How did Nico handle his race debut?

SM: Nico handled himself well. He was quick throughout practice, but then he made a small, but time costly, mistake in qualifying. He then had a bit of a messy race. Nico is a smart guy who's developing a great relationship with his engineers, Tom McCullough and Andrew Murdoch, and I know he'll deliver.

-source: williams