Brawn: 'Fingers crossed' Williams come out of slump

Formula 1 managing director of motorsport Ross Brawn says he has his “fingers crossed” that Williams can emerge from the current down period in the team’s history, but has warned that it needs to happen soon.

In both 2018 and 2019 Williams finished last in the constructors’ championship, with just one solitary point being accumulated last season as Robert Kubica and rookie driver George Russell were totally unable to compete in the drastically inferior car.

They do, however, remain one of the sport’s linchpins and have won the second-most world titles behind Ferrari - even if the last victory came more than two decades ago.

Brawn thinks the upcoming regulation changes will aid any recovery from the team, but reckons it must happen soon or they risk being dropped from F1 altogether.

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"It is a concern. Williams has had a couple of very poor years, and you can't carry on like that," he told Motorsport.com

"Sponsors will leave, drivers will leave, but you live in hope that they can pull it together because Williams is a great name for F1, with a great history.

"We don't want to lose them. The more equitable prize money distribution will help them a bit, but they can't languish around the back of the grid forever. It won't last.

"So we keep our fingers crossed that they're going to do a better job in the next couple of seasons."

Even though it was Kubica who picked up that single point last year, the team have replaced the veteran driver with Nicholas Latifi for 2020.

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