Williams F1 boss predicts 2022 regs will lead to pecking order ‘surprise’ 

One of the biggest regulation overhauls in F1 history will come into play in 2022, including the introduction of an all-new car designed to produce closer racing and increase overtaking. 

Williams has already switched its full development focus onto 2022 in a bid to capitalise on the rules revolution and seek early performance gains to move further up the grid. 

“It’s for a while now on 2022,” Capito said of his team’s development plan.

“It is just if we see something obvious can be improved with this year’s car and we have the capacity to do it beside the 2022 car then we do it, but the full focus is on 22.” 

Capito believes the new rules could result in some surprises next year but expects teams to remain in the dark about their prospects until their 2022 challengers hit the track in anger for the first time. 

“It’s difficult to say because every team is working in isolation, so you don’t know where the others are,” he explained. “So you are fighting against competition that you don’t see.

“When you finally get on track next year then you finally fight against competition that you can see and you know what they are doing and can see what they have done. 

“But now, everybody tries their very best and there could be a surprise next year how the ranking order will be.”

After a number of years anchored to the back of the F1 grid, Williams has enjoyed a much-improved 2021 season that has seen it regularly reach Q2 and advance to Q3 on two occasions

The Grove-based outfit also ended its two-year wait for points at the Hungarian Grand Prix, with Nicholas Latifi leading a two-car score in seventh place ahead of teammate George Russell. 

The result lifted Williams above both Alfa Romeo and Haas and up to eighth in the constructors’ championship. 

“I think the results and how the team moved forward through the first half of the year, nobody would have expected that at the beginning of the season,” Capito added. 

“To get that close to points and get in Q3, it seemed to be impossible. For me, personally, it’s good to see how the team develops. 

“The best [thing] I’ve seen is not the results, but how the team develops, how the communication is improving and how the cooperation within the team and the home team is improving. That for me, is the biggest thing I liked.

“For the team getting into Q3, we are now disappointed if we don’t get the point. I think two months ago everybody would have been very happy if we were 11th or 12th, and now they are disappointed. 

“I think that’s a great thing for the team.”