F1: Sirotkin Praised for Commitment to Williams off the Track

Russian rookie driver, Sergey Sirotkin has not made much of an impact in this F1 season. The Williams team themselves have been generally uncompetitive except for the Azerbaijan GP, where Sirotkin managed to get past Q1 for the only time so far.

But Williams Deputy team principal, Claire Williams has now revealed how involved Sirotkin is with the team, “[He is at the factory] Pretty much every day. That shouldn’t be underestimated. It’s not just work in the simulator, he walks around the factory and engages with people on the shop floor. That’s an achievement in itself when you are new.”

Sirotkin himself admitted that he was making it tough for himself. When asked about his workload, he said, “I am making my life harder, but I would not say I am making my life worse. It is really, really hard and sometimes it’s completely flat out. But at the same time it is my choice.”

“If I wanted I could spend three times less time at the factory and still manage everything I am obliged to manage. This is more about my personal wish. I want to be there and help them as much as I can”, added the Russian.

Claire Williams also admitted that the car was not the best that they have developed. “We haven’t given him the machinery to properly prove his talent. It’s just upto us to try and give him a car that he can deliver what he wants to do on the racetrack.”

There is no doubt that the start to Sirotkin’s F1 career has not been all beds and roses and that can be really tough especially for someone who is in his debut season. Moreover, the tag of the ‘pay driver’ has added pressure on him. But he can heart from this show of solidarity and the confidence that the Williams management have in him. A united front will surely motivate him to do better.