(Williams Martini Racing Team)
Williams Martini Racing's Head of Performance Engineering, Rob Smedley has stated that the Grove based team are only focused on their direct competition, McLaren and Force India after his team locked out the front on the grid with Felipe Massa taking his first pole since 2008.
Speaking ahead of today's race Smedley said:
'Our aim [in the race] - not to be pessimistic - is not Nico Rosberg, It's the teams we are competing directly with in the championship and that's what we set out to do. Mercedes are by far and away the leaders at the minute, Red Bull are sat in no-man's land - and I don't know how well they will go here - and then there's a group of cars from third to sixth in the championship where it's all open, and they are the teams we have to prioritise and score against tomorrow [Sunday].'
The team were shocked after claiming their front row lock out however this was to be expected as the team have been extremely competitive this season having scored point's in every Grand Prix so far this season. Today is the best opportunity for the for the team to get at least a podium finish today.
Smedley does not believe suggestions that the team compromised their race performance in order to both car's on the front row saying:
'I don't believe for a minute that we have compromised the race, if anything according to what we know, we have probably helped it a little bit. But we know that we do sometimes suffer with degradation or graining, as other teams do, and we just have to try and get on top of that in the race tomorrow, which is going to be hot.'
Williams are currently 6th in the Constructors championship, eight point's behind McLaren who are further down the grid then they expected. Force India are currently 19 point's ahead of the Williams team.
© Ben Johnston 2014
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