Fans have been less than impressed at the signing of Sergey Sirotkin. He was a late addition to the Williams narrative, it was supposed to be the heroic Robert Kubica proving himself against safe-pair-of-hands reserve driver Paul di Resta. In this fairytale it was supposed to be Kubica who got the drive, that was the driver that the world had their fingers tightly crossed for, not the 22-year-old Russian with a handful of GP2 wins to his name. In the end, all the well-wishers in the world weren’t enough to reverse the effect of Kubica’s rallying injuries and Sirotkin was found to be the better candidate.
Under other circumstances, to an audience not recovering from Kubica fever, Sirotkin would seem a lot less of an unwelcome choice. Of course, it makes for an inexperienced lineup but Williams argues that it is looking for long-term investment in its line-up. Sirotkin performed well in the post-Abu Dhabi tyre test and has had experience as Renault reserve driver for the last two seasons. It’s said that he brings a £15 million financial package from his backers, the SMP Racing programme which is no bad thing as far as Williams is concerned. Looking to the future, and not focusing on the glories of the past, Sirotkin makes sense.
The financial package will more than make up the time deficit created by perhaps not signing Pascal Wehrlein. Sirotkin arguably has just as good potential as Wehrlein. He was only beaten by four men in GP2. Stoffel Vandoorne, who executed one of the most dominant championship victories of all time. Alexander Rossi, an Indianapolis 500 winner on his debut. 2016 GP2 champion Pierre Gasly, second in line to the Red Bull throne if he delivers, and the immensely talented Antonio Giovinazzi, who should be making his full F1 debut this season.
Sirotkin’s 2015 season may be an important case study of optimism this year. Driving for the criminally under-funded Italian outfit Rapax, and taking third in the championship. Williams isn’t in the greatest shape, so Sirotkin is used to working with teams no longer accustomed to success. Furthermore, his engineering degree will help to offset his lack of F1 experience. He’s reportedly spending most days in the factory and seems to be gelling with the team particularly well.
This time last year Williams’ other driver Lance Stroll was coming under the same fire as he made his rocky debut. It took the young Canadian four outings before he managed to finish a race and until his home grand prix in June before he scored his first points. But that proved the watershed moment when his luck turned around, finishing third next time out in the chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix. In Italy, he started second on the grid amid a run of points-scoring finishes and he ended the year in 12th, only three points behind team-mate Felipe Massa. Critics accusing Stroll of being all money and no talent were quietened somewhat. They should have remembered that you don’t win an F3 title by accident.
Sure, Stroll was inconsistent and had some abysmal weekends, Massa might have out-pointed him, but the Brazilian never reached the dizzy heights of what Stroll achieved on Saturday at Monza and Sunday in Baku.
Stroll has a season under his belt now and the chance to show he can lead the team in 2018. No one would suggest that it will be easy for Sirotkin and the Russian has a steep learning curve ahead of him but Williams is looking to the future. The Canadian needs to iron out the troughs and make the 2017 peaks a more regular occurrence.
By not retaining Massa or signing di Resta or Kubica or any other driver that made their debut in the depths of Formula 1 past, Williams is acknowledging the need to grow its own talent. It is only by having young talent that they can build on 2014’s failed renaissance and be ready to become great again.
They might be inexperienced but Williams’ duo of youngsters are hungry and talented and might just be part of a forward-thinking masterplan.
