Williams has moved past lowest point of 2018 – Sirotkin 

Sergey Sirotkin believes Williams’ performance at the Monaco Grand Prix proves Williams has moved past its lowest point of the 2018 Formula 1 season. 

The Russian progressed to Q2 for the second time this year and pulled off a strong performance to qualify 13th. Sirotkin’s hopes of challenging for his first F1 points were dashed when he was hit by a 10-second stop-go penalty for having his tyres fitted too late on the Monaco grid. 

He ultimately finished 17th and last but is convinced Williams has made a big step forward in performance, having endured a torrid start to the season, highlighted by its struggles at the Spanish Grand Prix. The Grove-based outfit currently props up the constructors’ championship in 10th place with just four points. 

“It is a very positive trend,” Sirotkin explained. “Barcelona was the one-off and I really wanted to prove that. I didn’t want that to upset our mentality and our motivation for all the work here and back at the factory.

“Now we can confirm that Barcelona was a one-off. The project is still going on, we are there, we are fighting, which is good not just in terms of the result but also mentally for all of us.”

Sirotkin acknowledged the importance of Williams’ promising performance in Monaco for team morale and proving the team is moving in the right direction. 

“Up until Barcelona it was all looking very good,” he added. “We were working hard. Slowly of course, but we could see little improvements here and there, we were building the base for improvements. 

“Barcelona was a big crossover for everything. It was a really outstanding track for us that highlighted our problems. I knew it would not be the same [in Monaco but] to prove it is still a bit different. 

“It is quite important. I would feel stupid if I said this [that Spain was a one-off] and come here and it will be the same. I am happy we have proved it. I hope this result will please all the people working here and back at the factory, for whom it is a bit more difficult to follow it.”

Teammate Lance Stroll’s race was hampered by two punctures which were caused by overheating brake rims as the Canadian finished one place above Sirotkin in 16th.