AT&T Williams F1

SYNOPSIS The AT&T Williams team had a solid but unrewarding Bahrain Grand Prix. The race followed a reliable progression through practice and qualifying, compromised perhaps only by being one of only two teams not to have tested at the Sakhir circuit during winter testing. Sunday's race was unrewarding for the team in terms of advancing on start positions and claiming any points, primarily due to both cars racing among a tight pack of eight cars immediately behind McLaren, Ferrari and BMW. This closely constituted pack was covered by approximately a 10th of a second per lap and, compromised by two poor starts, both Nico Rosberg and Alex Wurz were consigned towards the back of this group and had limited capability to progress either on the track or by deploying a strategy that would enable positions to be claimed around the fuel stops. However, both cars ran reliably over the sessions and the race, and the team believes that the combination of circuit-specific testing and the developments coming to the FW29 for the Spanish Grand Prix should enable the team to return to the front of the mid-grid pack as an essential first step to getting on terms with the front runners. With a limited lap time differential between the two tyre options on Friday, the team undertook usual set-up work, with a focus on balancing wing level for the long straights with the need for downforce under braking for the slow and medium speed corners typical of the Sakhir circuit. By Saturday, the differential between the tyre compounds was more pronounced and with new engines and fresh tyres, the focus was on the usual optimisation of set-up for low fuel in preparation for qualifying. Come the afternoon, Nico progressed into Q3 but Alex missed the cut by a quarter of a tenth, indicative of the closeness of the field behind the front three teams. Alex lost out in the run down to T1, boxed in by Kovalainen and unable to advance from p11, while Nico lost out into the first turn and dropped three places to p13 at the end of the first lap. TYRES & FUEL While Alex Wurz ran a more aggressive, low fuel strategy with a shorter first stint and Nico Rosberg opted for a two-stop strategy followed by most of the field, neither driver was able to capitalise on a clear track or by claiming position through pitstops. Finding themselves towards the back of a fairly evenly matched collection of cars, all running similar tyre and fuel strategies, essentially limited the team’s opportunities to advance. SYSTEMS & RELIABILITY All mechanical systems on the team's cars ran trouble-free all weekend. NEXT EVENTS The team will be undertaking a three day test in Barcelona between the 30th April and 2nd May. Nico, Alex and Kazuki will all have a day's testing during the one car test. The team will be evaluating a new aero package during the test, which will be the second upgrade of the FW29 since its launch. SAM MICHAEL "Not a rewarding race and I expect not testing here has cost us a little as we came to Bahrain with less tyre knowledge. Combined with a poor 1st lap of the race and the closeness of the midfield, it was always going to be difficult for Nico and Alex to achieve a points finish. However, the difference between the back of this group and the front is extremely small and our immediate target is to find a few tenths to make sure we are at the front of this collection of teams"