Source: REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
[Saba Sports News] Williams encountered a series
of production delays last winter, resulting in the team’s decision to
prioritize other projects instead of constructing a spare car in time for the
season’s commencement. However, this decision proved problematic at the
Australian Grand Prix when Alexander Albon’s car crashed during free practice,
causing damage to the chassis. Without a spare chassis available, the Williams
team had no choice but to assign Albon the chassis of their second driver,
Logan Sargeant, while Sargeant himself had to remain on the sidelines. Williams
acknowledges that the production of the third chassis may not be completed
until the end of April, as resources need to be redirected towards repairing
the damaged chassis. In other words, the Williams team will not have a backup
chassis until at least the Miami Grand Prix in early May. Despite the team’s
efforts, the chassis damaged during the Australian Grand Prix has been
successfully repaired. In the recent Japanese Grand Prix, Sargeant raced with
the restored chassis. Unfortunately, Sargeant had a significant accident during
the first practice session, resulting in severe damage to the car’s front
suspension and gearbox. Fortunately, there appeared to be no issue with the
chassis itself. Some fans have expressed that the chassis is the most crucial
component of an F1 car. To prepare a chassis for production, the team must
invest thousands of hours in working with composite materials.