Williams says Villeneuve comments 'irritating'
May 25 - Claire Williams has admitted comments made recently by the team's last world champion Jacques Villeneuve were "irritating".
Under her leadership, the once-great British team is having a season even more woeful than in 2018.
And things are even worse in Monaco.
"Monaco emphasises the weaknesses of our car," Robert Kubica said. "Here, everything is even worse."
Recently, Villeneuve said one of Williams' problems is leadership, with 77-year-old founder Sir Frank Williams no longer travelling with the race team.
"The team is dead, there is no management," Villeneuve said. "There was the chance to make a good choice, and they chose Claire instead of (brother) Jonathan.
"It was a big mistake."
Claire Williams was asked about Villeneuve's comments by The Telegraph newspaper.
"What I find distinctly irritating is people criticising when they don't know the full story. I'm a very honest person," she said.
"If someone feels that strongly about the situation, then talk to me about it."
What Williams does admit, however, is that she has questioned her suitability for the top job.
"If your business wasn't performing well, you would be incredibly arrogant not to be introspective," said Williams.
"I have those internal conversations, but I don't believe my ability to take this team forward is done. I can drive us out of this.
"If ever I felt my contribution was harmful, then I wouldn't stay on in the job."
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Its sad to see a great team like Williams like this.The decline has been on for quite a while.To pin the blame for this state on Claire Williams is utter nonsense.To her credit the ship is still afloat.Now thats not a easy feat among the top guns,these days.
So, what's the answer then? She's the CEO. Top people have left or under performed to where does the buck stop if it's not Claire??
it's true that Williams are in a really deep, dark hole these days, but it shouldn't be forgotten in the first place, that we're talking about anyone else but a by-any-cost-attention-seeking scum who can speak only with the use of insult-, slander- insinuation- or accusation-kind of agruments exclusively. We wouldn't seat the Lady next to the small-time weasel for fu*k's sake...
JV is as usual talking bull shite.Ferrari ,Redbull,Mclaren,Renault, Have all suffered in their history
and on budgets that Williams an only dream of .Yes the last 2/3 cars have been total dogs BUT
they are honest not trying to blame engines or drivers.When something is stuffed it takes a lot more effort to put it right,in the end they will succeed by keeping Clair and growing the rest of the team
Please......
If Clair was given the same budget as the big boys she would have a top performing team as with others teams on the grid....Fact
Clair's passion for racing is in her DNA, and her competitive spirit will come though... and yes it will take time and further sponsorship (money) and support in a difficult climate.
I have followed F1 and particularly Williams since a boy.
I sit back and listen to BE and JV and others say there needs to a change in the management of Williams..... Look at McLaren even Ferrari with their huge budgets there is has been no continuity, if plan A fails fire the management, this is easy for a board to find excuses for the shareholders, due to underperformance.
When the going gets tough Clair's experience, passion for the sport..... would always get my vote. If the true fan Wants to see Williams back up there in the points BRITISH companies and true fans should put up.... and support the underdog and people outside Williams should simply keep their ignorance and bias away from the media. But then what do i know.........
SIR Frank and family have contributed more to motor racing than so called ex racing driver pundits, with the emphasis on EX,. Give em hell Clair stand firm to your critics after all you are running a team they are not.
Everytime Clare is interviewed, if you listen carefully, she sounds more like a corporate PR administrator than a CEO of an F1 race team.
You hear lots of cliches and soundbites about “what the team needs to do...”. One that really stood out was when she said “when I put my business hat on...”. Where has she ever had any entrepreneurial business experience in any company other than her dads? She’s out of her depth on 2 levels - as a CEO and has a leader of an F1 constructor. It’s clear that the team underneath her don’t respect her racing pedigree or leadership (although they’d never say it publically). They will stick around just to get their paycheck or if they have backbone will leave like some senior guys already have. Bottom line is Williams are in decline since her daddy gave her the job. She’s now taken it past the point that - even if an able successor were appointed - they would have an almost impossible task of reversing the teams fortunes. Nepotism rarely works.