MAY 22, 2012

Williams ready for Monaco after Herculean effort

Williams heads to the Monaco GP after a huge effort by the factory staff and team suppliers to restock after the damage caused to car parts and equipment by the pit fire in Barcelona.

Williams heads to the Monaco GP after a huge effort by the factory staff and team suppliers to restock after the damage caused to car parts and equipment by the pit fire in Barcelona.

"Our preparations have been somewhat hampered," said chief operations engineer Mark Gillan, "but the impact of the fire has been mitigated by what can only be described as a Herculean effort."

Gillan also thanked Williams' rival teams for their generous offers of help.

With further upgrades for the high downforce Monte Carlo street circuit, Williams is hoping it can capitalise on its Barcelona win, the team's first since 2004, with another strong showing at a track on which Pastor Maldonado has excelled in the junior formulae.

Maldonado, who was on course for strong points last year with the uncompetitive FW33 until an incident with Lewis Hamilton, said: "Monaco is very challenging, both physically and mentality, but I really enjoy this and have traditionally done well there in the past. I am full of confidence so I go with high hopes of getting another strong result."