Williams Formula 1 deputy team principal Claire Williams says following Racing Point’s modelဣ for its 2020 car is an approach that “wouldn’t have worked for us”. 

Racing Point caused a stir in the Barcelona paddock amongst its rivals during testing when it debuted its RP20 challenger - which closely resembles Mercedes’ title-𒈔winning W10 car - having attempted to copy the same aerodynamic philosophy the German manufacturer pioneered in 2019.

Despite bein✤g a fellow Mercedes engine customer, Williams opted🍃 to continue with its traditional approach of manufacturing its own car parts and not following the design path of other teams.

“I wo✨uldn’t criticise another team’s way in which they go racing as long asꦯ its within regulations, which it is, and it is their decision in how they want to bring a car to racing,” Williams said.

“We’r🍷e very proud of the fact we are an independent constructor and we manufacture our car ourselves and it’s not a model that we’re looking to change at the moment. 

“If it works for them this year, the last year prior to a new regulation change, great, but it wouldn’t have worked for us and that’s why we’re 𓆏continuing on th🧸e road we are.”

While Williams admitted she is much happier with the situation her side finds itself in on the eve of the new season, she insisted the Grove-based outfit will not 🦩get ahead of itself with the targets it sets for 2020.

“I’m feeling a𒉰 lot hap♒pier, probably inevitably,” she added.

“That’s not going to come as a surprise to anyone, things at Williams have definitely taken steps forward but that’s been off the back of a lot of hard work that everybody in the team has done over the last 12 mo꧅nths to ensure that’s been the case. 

“But we know we’ve still got a lot of hard work to do if we are to achieve our ultimate goals and that’s to g🎀et Williams back to where we want to see it and that’s podiums and races, but that in reality is a way off. 

“This year the target is to make clear progress. I think just coming to testing and having achieved what we’ve done here in these 😼last six days demonstrates that, but w♚e’ve got to get to Melbourne to see where we truly are.”