F1: 2014 success gives Williams confidence

Williams can take confidence from the way it took advantage of new regulations in 2014 as it prepares for another change this year, according to Claire Williams.

Following a number of poor seasons, culminating in the team finishing ninth in the 2013 constructors' championship, Williams bounced back with consecutive third-place finishes following a change of regulations. While the team slipped to fifth place in 2016, the turnaround showed it is able to take advantage of such an opportunity to move up the grid.

Williams admits there is a fear of the unknown when it comes to the 2017 regulations, with the pecking order potentially being changed, but the deputy team principal says the success of 2014 gives her confidence that the team can deliver once again.

"Yeah, for sure," Williams said when asked by RACER if 2014's improvement is a good sign. "It is that opportunity isn't it that a new set of regulations provides. We did get it right then, so you'd like to think once you do strip everything back then once you're starting from a base platform it's much simpler I suppose than trying to find performance within tiny margins of regulations."

As aerodynamic development is a bigger area of focus this winter compared to the power unit overhaul of 2014, Williams admits there is added trepidation as a result but is still confident in the aerodynamic team at Grove.

"Our aero performance has been there for everybody to see and judge ... but the guys in that team still got it right in 2014 and they are a good team; they know what they're doing. We just have to trust that they are going into [this season] having looked at every area, every angle and evaluated it and done what they needed to do throughout the process of aero development, from CFD through to wind tunnel development work.

"All the targets that we've set them over the past nine months of development for the new car they've already met and exceeded and we've had to re-establish those targets for them. So I have confidence in that group. Whether we still need to do some more work will be seen come testing in February."