2019 Williams driver Robert Kubica has revealed the team is struggling with staffing problems following a torrid 2018.
The Grove-based squad endured their third-worst season in history scoring just seven points and finishing bottom of the Constructors’ Championship, 26 points behind ninth-placed Toro Rosso.
Several key figures left earlier in the year and others, including head of vehicle performance Rob Smedley, are following, causing Williams more headaches as they look to rebuild.
“It’s not an easy period because many people are leaving and it’s difficult to find good employees when they see that the team does not have a fast car.,” Kubica was quoted by PlanetF1.
“Most people have a passion and want to work in the best teams.”
Such is the problem, relatively simple questions like who will be the Pole’s race engineer next year remain unanswered, making settling into his new race driver role a little trickier.
“This was one of the main topics before signing the contract,” he added.
“I tried to find out this weekend so that I can work with this person in the tests because it’s already time to start working well.”
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In terms of car performance, Kubica wasn’t committal but conceded expectations are low.
“I’ve been in the paddock too long to be concerned about a car that will only be on the track at the end of February because it will change nothing,” he said.
“In 2008, in BMW, we were missing four seconds in the tests but in two months we turned the situation around. Williams is in a different situation to that, there will not be such miracles.
“I approach next season very realistically. If we are in eighth or ninth place in Australia, it will be very good but it is not up to me to set such goals.”