Difficult times are, unfortunately, not over for Williams: the latest trouble for English team, managed by Claire Williams, is represented by Paddy Lowe’s decision to take a “leave for absence” for personal reasons.

Let’s start from the beginning: things for Williams were not easy in 2018. Sergey Sirotkin and Lance Stroll were only able to collect 7 points, 1 for the Russian and 6 for the Canadian, with the team being the tail end of the Constructors Championship. Rumours also suggested that the team was in a sort of “self- management”, with no debriefing post races, exc.

Two new drivers were, then, announced: George Russell, Mercedes protégé, and Robert Kubica, who finally earned the chance to step behind the wheel again after 9 years from his rally accident.

Also take a look at:

https://www.motorlat.com/notas/f1/9614/kubica-039-time-is-running-out-039

The hope was, for both drivers and the fans too, to see a reborn Williams for 2019, who could at least fight for a chance in the midfield. The brand new FW42, free of the Martini colours, has been revealed at Williams’ Groove base, with a new livery and a chassis full of expectations. Expectations disappointed, considering that the new pair of drivers could not even verify how fast this FW42 could go, as it spent the first three days of testing in Barcelona inside the garage.

— ROKiT WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) 1 marzo 2019 " rel="general">

#RK88 taking to the track for more laps. He’s up to 21 so far already this morning 👌#F1Testing pic.twitter.com/JYpcHP94rl

— ROKiT WILLIAMS RACING (@WilliamsRacing) 1 marzo 2019

So many speculations circulated around the team’s sponsors, especially the ones “brought” by Kubica: many insiders suggested that the car was not ready in Barcelona and the team had to wait three days for the drivers to finally hit the track.

Also take a look at:

https://www.motorlat.com/notas/f1/9610/claire-williams-shuts-down-money-related-rumours-over-car-delay

As soon as the FW42 left the garage, every lens of every photographer captured some details that made insiders talk: the front suspensions of the new Williams challenger present raised and horizontal arms, declared irregular by FIA.

This means that Paddy Lowe and his aerodynamic team must redesign the car for it to be regular, but this might be a little difficult as Lowe is taking, as said, a leave for absence for personal reasons.

It seems like, unfortunately, George Russell and Robert Kubica won’t have an easy time this season.