Why is nobody looking at Williams' 2022 misperformance?

Rich F1 history

With nine constructors' titles and seven among drivers, Williams rank as one of the greatest teams F1 has ever known. Big names like Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Alan Jones drove for founder Frank Williams, but since the last double title in 1997, things have been going downhill for years.

For years, people pointed to the financial gap with the top teams. According to Claire Williams, there was no competition with the Mercedes and Red Bulls of this world as long as they could keep spending tons of money. That the team finished last in the constructors' standings in 2018 was therefore not surprising, according to her.

The sudden decline was remarkable, though. After all, Williams still started the hybrid era very strongly with third-place finishes in 2014 and 2015. The Mercedes engine played a big part in this, and as the engine caught up with the competition, it became entirely apparent that Williams themselves had not built such a good car.

Big names like Dirk de Beer and Paddy Lowe were brought in, but after poor results, they also left again. The management also left. Claire Williams had to leave the ship and the new owners appointed Jost Capito as the new team boss with the aim of making a step forward in 2022.

There also seemed to be a glimmer of hope in 2021, as Williams revived. Led by George Russell, the team finally scored another podium (albeit in the cancelled Belgian GP) and finished eighth among constructors. A nice little success, but it seems to have come at a high price.

Disappointment in 2022

Indeed, where Haas and Alfa Romeo started very well in 2022 and finished higher than Williams this year anyway, the Grove-based team has missed the mark. The car is totally uncompetitive, which is extra painful given that these rules will remain as they are until 2025. That it loses the battle (again) to small teams like Haas and Alfa Romeo says it all.

What is striking is that it seems very quiet around Williams. You would expect some pressure to be put on the team's executives after such a season, but no one seems to feel responsible for the dramatic performance. There is talk of a process, but no one is speaking out about the missed opportunity this year.

What needs to happen at Williams?

The money is there now and with the budget cap the top teams are closer than ever for Williams, but in the rankings, Williams are further away than ever. Apparently, something is really wrong within this team if changes of owner, team boss or other top people don't seem to make a difference. Are old traditions too ingrained in the team causing new and innovative ideas to fall by the wayside? It could explain the stagnation in recent years.

Indeed, what is also remarkable is the relaxed atmosphere around the whole team. People half celebrate when a point is scored, Nicholas Latifi's misperformance (Japan excepted) is covered with the cloak of love and anyone listening to the High-Performance Podcast broadcast with Capito thinks he is talking about a team where nothing is wrong. It is an image that does not fit a team that is last in F1.

One thing is certain: there are no more excuses for Williams. There must be performance. Dorilton Capital saved this team from possible bankruptcy but is currently seeing little return on their investment. The whole team will have to work harder and be more creative to become more competitive with the resources available (and they are certainly no less than at a Haas or Alfa Romeo). Otherwise, the future does not look bright.