Russell and Kubica swap chassis for Spanish GP
George Russell and Robert Kubica have swapped Williams Formula 1 chassis for the Spanish Grand Prix, with Russell using his teammate's car from the first four races of 2019.
During a difficult start to the season Kubica has complained of differences between his car and Russell's, something Russell backed up earlier in the year.
Kubica was hopeful there would not be a repeat as of this weekend, and after Friday practice at Barcelona Russell said the previous differences between the two cars was put down to "a sensor issue".
Russell also revealed that both drivers are using different chassis now anyway. He explained that Kubica was due to get a new chassis and has taken over the one that Russell drove for the first time in the previous race in Azerbaijan.
Russell had to switch to a new chassis in Baku following his bizarre crash with a drain cover in opening practice.
"There was a new chassis that Robert was getting, that was always the plan," said Russell. "Because my chassis was damaged from Baku, I've now been allocated Robert's chassis."
Despite the change in chassis and minor upgrades, Kubica was unhappy with his car after FP2 having been more encouraged by opening practice.
The one-time grand prix winner was slowest of all in FP2, more than half a second slower than Russell and 3.497s off the pace, having lapped quicker than Russell in FP1.
"In FP1 the feeling was not too bad and we did our programme," he said. "Second free practice the feeling was not so great.
"We have to understand now the reason but generally it's still OK. We had to stop for precautionary reasons for around 30 minutes to change one part, and we were not able to complete our long-run programme, but it's all OK.
"In FP1 the car felt a bit better. FP2, not really. I think I didn't have any big updates here on my car which I could feel any difference compared to previous races."
The damage incurred in Baku in Russell's FP1 incident and Kubica's own crash in qualifying means Williams has brought fewer upgrades than planned to Barcelona.
Russell lapped 2.9s off the pace but said it was a "fairly decent day" considering the major upgrades being run by the team's rivals.
"The pace was closer than what we expected really," Russell said. "Small positives to take from that and we learned some good things from the things we did test.
"I think it's normal for everybody to bring a big upgrade to Barcelona but we're sort of testing things week in week out to try to get a clearer picture of our car, and understanding.
"I don't think anybody would bring an update big enough to bring us from the back of the field forward. But the tests we did today were very positive in the sense of giving us a good understanding."
Previous article
Spanish GP: Bottas leads Mercedes 1-2 in second practice
Next article
Promoted: Paul Ricard - Europe's most accessible track
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Event | Spanish GP |
| Drivers | Robert Kubica , George Russell |
| Teams | Williams |
| Author | Scott Mitchell |
How Do Drivers Stay Fit For F1 Grand Prix?
Ronnie Peterson and Jochen Rindt Tribute
The double whammy that is defining Vettel’s F1 fate
It's been a tough start to Sebastian Vettel's Aston Martin F1 career, with a lack of pre-season testing mileage followed by an incident-packed Bahrain GP. But two key underlying factors mean a turnaround is no guarantee.
The themes to watch in F1's Imola return
Three weeks is a long time in Formula 1, but in the reshaped start to the 2021 season the teams head to Imola to pick things up after the frenetic Bahrain opener. Here's what to look out for and the developments to follow at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix
The 'new' F1 drivers who need to improve at Imola
After a pandemic-hit winter of seat-swapping, F1 kicked off its season with several new faces in town, other drivers adapting to new environments, and one making a much-anticipated comeback. Ben Anderson looks at who made the most of their opportunity and who needs to try harder…
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says Nigel Roebuck.
Verstappen exclusive: Why lack of titles won't hurt Red Bull's ace
Max Verstappen’s star quality in Formula 1 is clear. Now equipped with a Red Bull car that is, right now, the world title favourite and the experience to support his talent, could 2021 be the Dutchman’s year to topple the dominant force of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Is Formula 1 as good as it has ever been now?
For many, many years Formula 1 has strived to do and to be better on all fronts. With close competition, a growing fanbase, a stable political landscape and rules in place to encourage sustainability, 2021 is on course to provide an unexpected peak
How Williams’ new structure adheres to a growing F1 trend
Williams held out against the tide for many years but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, the age of the owner-manager is long gone
When a journeyman driver's F1 career lasted just 800m
Nikita Mazepin’s Formula 1 debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix lasted mere corners before he wiped himself out in a shunt, but his financial backing affords him a full season. Back in 1993 though, Marco Apicella was an F1 driver for just 800m before a first corner fracas ended his career. Here’s the story of his very short time at motorsport’s pinnacle.
