Sam Michael: “Between Maldonado and Hamilton a racing accident in Monaco”

Interview with Sam Michael, Technical Director of the Williams F1 team after the Monaco race.

Williams scored their first points of 2011 in Monaco. How important was it for you and the team?

Sam Michael: “It was very important for everyone involved to get the first points and we have Rubens to thank. We have a bit of a bitter taste in our mouths because Pastor was about to win other important points. Rubens could have achieved an even better result, but the first safety car damaged his position significantly. Monaco is normally a lottery in this regard getting some points is a good result for the whole team.”

Are you satisfied with the pace of the FW33 on the streets of the Principality?

Sam Michael: “Yes, the FW33 performed well. In the race, I was particularly impressed with the speed we had with the top cars running on the same tyres. There is certainly still a lot of work to do but we are going in the right direction.”

How to summarize the performances of Pastor Maldonado, who qualified in the top 10 for the second consecutive race and was very close to scoring his first F1 points?

Sam Michael: “His performance was nothing short of excellent. Its two engineers Xevi Pujolar and Andrew Murdoch did a great job. Their efforts really helped us make tire decisions and strategy decisions with Pastor pushing hard in the race when he could.”

What is your opinion on Pastor's race accident with Lewis Hamilton?

Sam Michael: “It was a racing accident.”

Pirelli used its super-soft tire for the first time this year. How did he behave in the race?

Sam Michael: “The tire life wasn't as great as we expected in free practice, but it was still good in the race. With this tire the two-stop strategy was the optimal one.”

The next race on the calendar is Montreal. What are your hopes for the FW33 on a low downforce track?

Sam Michael: “Every circuit has been different this year, but with the improvements we have for next weekend on the FW33 we should be competitive.”

There will be two DRS zones on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Do you expect DRS to be effective given the low downforce?

Sam Michael: “Definitely. I think the way the FIA ​​is handling DRS is perfect. Charlie Whiting is evaluating race by race and adapting it to suit each circuit.”