Williams Racing looking to get back on track at iconic Spa-Francorchamps

The Williams Racing Formula One team, partnered by Acronis, will be looking to get its season back on track when racing resumes at the iconic Spa-Francorchamps Circuit in Belgium.

Having started the season brightly thanks to points scoring efforts from Alexander Albon in Melbourne and Miami, a run of near misses for both drivers just outside the top ten means they will be crossing their fingers for fortune to smile on them again.

Some good Spa memories for the team last year 💙

That being said, we can't wait to actually go racing in Belgium this year. Bring it on 👊#WeAreWilliams #BelgianGP pic.twitter.com/DIUnlULy30

— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) August 24, 2022

With a unique micro-climate all of its own in the rolling hills of the Ardennes, inclement weather will almost certainly play its part with rain forecast over the weekend. A great leveller for man and machine, the high chance of precipitation perhaps offers Williams a great chance of scoring more valuable points.

“Racing at Spa is one of the highlights of the season and we are very happy to be back,” commented Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance. “The lap is long and offers almost every possible challenge for an F1 car and driver.

“The significant elevation changes and the variable weather add to the mix. Everyone knows the circuit well, but it will be interesting to see how this new generation of Formula One car deals with the high-speed corners at Eau Rouge, Pouhon and Blanchimont.

“The FW44 should work reasonably well in Spa, and we are looking forward to getting back to racing at this mighty circuit.”

It was just before the long summer break that Alglo-Thai driver Albon announced that he would be staying at the famous Williams team for 2023 ‘and beyond’, and he is looking forward to try and add to his points tally at one of his favourite circuits.

“It’s great to be back racing after a needed break,” commented Albon. “Spa is one of my personal favourite tracks of the year, it’s great for racing and fun over one lap. It can also always throw surprises with the weather, as we saw last year!”

Likewise, teammate Nicholas Latifi is hoping that the inclement weather conditions could play a part in him opening his account for the season.

“It’s always great to head to Spa after the summer break as it’s one of the most enjoyable tracks on the calendar,” added Latifi. “The circuit has a fast-flowing nature with an old school feel, so it’ll be nice to drive this modern generation of car around there. Hopefully we can maximise any opportunities for a strong result, and it also seems like the weather might play a part as it typically can in Spa.”

TEAM UP WITH ACRONIS

Prominent once again on the nose of the car and on the front wing endplates this season are the team’s official cyber protection partner Acronis. Williams Racing uses Acronis technology to add extra layers of protection to its IT infrastructure, protecting hundreds of servers and endpoint devices.

It's critical that we have access to data wherever we are in the world 🌍

Performance Engineer Andrew Vizard explains how @Acronis help us remain #CyberFit as we travel the globe ✈️ pic.twitter.com/7VA2WmnBRa

— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) April 6, 2022

During the 2021 season and continuing this year, Acronis opened up an exciting #TeamUp Program, giving new and existing service providers the opportunity to support sports partnerships, join the sports ecosystem, attend races and enjoy amazing sports marketing benefits. To find out more, please visit Cyber Protection for global sports – Acronis