Countdown Case 6

The tenth-best team in 2018, and late to party in pre-season testing, Williams face an uphill task in 2019 - or do they? In the first of 10 individual team previews, we map out the best and worst case scenarios for the nine-time constructors' champions.

• Last year’s ranking: 10th (7pts)
• Driver line-up (2018 ranking): George Russell (N/A), Robert Kubica (N/A)
• 2019 F1 Car: FW42

Best-case Scenario...

For Williams, to borrow a phrase from a well-known song, the only way is up. 2018 was an undoubtedly torrid year for Sir Frank’s famous old outfit, finishing dead last and rarely troubling the scorers. It wasn’t what one would have expected from a team that’s been close to the top (and occassionally at the very front) of the field since the start of the hybrid era.

The FW41 struggled with unpredictable handling in the corners and stubbornly refused to do what Williams’ wind tunnel model suggested it should do. Robert Kubica even said at one stage he was embarrassed to drive it – which isn’t a phrase usually to be heard from a reserve driver gunning for promotion. The silver lining for Williams is that it can’t get worse because there isn’t anywhere worse than last.

Despite a less-than-flawless pre-season testing period, there’s still a positive buzz around 'next-gen' Williams this year, and while the car hasn’t looked particularly rapid, during the second week it managed to rack-up very respectable mileage. While its total of 567 laps is the lowest of anyone, it did 479 of those in the second week, which equates to a very respectable double-race-distance every day. The hope is that it's a car that’s a bit behind with its development, rather than a car with underlying issues. And let's not forget that it's still fitted with a Mercedes power unit - the engine-to-have since 2014.

It’s not what Williams’ new driver pairing would want, but it might be a blessing in disguise. George Russell and Robert Kubica have very little expectation placed upon them at this stage. They, like the car, will be improving with mileage. In Russell, Williams have one of the hottest rookie prospects in years, while Kubica is a sharp, experienced operator who can give the team a level of mature feedback it quite possibly lacked last year. While the pre-season hasn’t got off to a spectacular start for Williams, they have the foundations to come good as the year progresses.

READ MORE: Robert Kubica 2.0 – Why injury won’t hold him back in 2019