Williams: good expectations for Malaysia after the excellent race in Australia

After the excellent Australian Grand Prix, with Nico Rosberg on the podium for the first time and Kazuki Nakajima scoring points in his second F1 race, the Williams team hopes to repeat the promising performances shown at Albert Park in Malaysia.

Nico Rosberg
"Sepang is one of my favorite tracks. We should be as strong there as we were in Melbourne, especially if we have the whole weekend to prepare as best we can, so let's aim for another good performance. Maybe not a podium, but a another solid points finish. We seem to have a car that isn't too harsh on the tyres, so in the Malaysian heat that's a positive. Physically, these races are really tough, particularly on concentration, and that's why I worked so hard in the winter to train in these conditions. I'm going to Singapore with RBS this week to visit the track, then I'll take a couple of days to relax before leaving for Malaysia.

Kazuki Nakajima
"We had a good start to the season in the first GP in Australia and that was a great motivation for all of us. I will have a 10 place grid penalty in Malaysia so it will be difficult for me, I will focus on my race and I will do my best. Sepang is a really good track, it's hard on the car and the tyres, but we have a good chance and I have good sensations. Like in Australia, the temperatures will be extreme again, so it will be a difficult weekend for everyone. I'll go straight to Malaysia to do some training and make sure I'm ready for the weekend"

Sam Michael, Technical Director, Williams F1
"The weather conditions in Malaysia are always hot and humid and the forecast says this year's race will be no different. With only a week between the two races, we will focus on resolving any reliability issues we encountered in Melbourne before free practice on Friday. Although the performances in qualifying in Australia were not bad, considering the time lost in free practice and the yellow and red flags in qualifying, they were not sufficient compared to our expectations. We go to Malaysia with the aim to improve and continue the momentum of our second place in the constructors' championship. It seems that the group is very tight this year so further tenths shaved off can help us significantly. The track layout mainly consists of medium and high speed corners and enough straights to make engine power important.With a typical two-stop strategy, and several overtaking opportunities throughout the lap, it should be an exciting race. If something similar to what we saw in Melbourne happens, it will only be good news for F1."

Williams F1