Formula 1: Believe it or not, Williams co-lead one positive statistic

By Asher Fair | Jun 26, 2019

LE CASTELLET, FRANCE - JUNE 21: George Russell of Great Britain driving the (63) Rokit Williams Racing FW42 Mercedes on track during practice for the F1 Grand Prix of France at Circuit Paul Ricard on June 21, 2019 in Le Castellet, France. (Photo by Charles Coates/Getty Images) /

Believe it or not, Williams sit tied atop Formula 1 in one notable statistic that does not carry with it a negative connotation in what is by far their worst season in the sport.

Through the first eight races of the 21-race 2019 Formula 1 season, it is no secret that ROKiT Williams Racing have been the undisputed bottom dwellers of the sport, and with not much hope of even beginning to challenge for ninth place out of 10 teams on a semi-regular basis.

Their two drivers, rookie George Russell and Robert Kubica, have combined to outqualify a total of zero non-Williams drivers so far this season, with the only exception being in the Chinese Grand Prix when two drivers, Alfa Romeo Racing rookie Antonio Giovinazzi and Scuderia Toro Rosso rookie Alexander Albon, failed to record lap times in the qualifying session.

Not including drivers who have been forced to retire from races, Russell and/or Kubica have finished higher than at least one non-Williams driver in just two races so far this season.

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Russell finished ahead of SportPesa Racing Point’s Lance Stroll, Alfa Romeo Racing’s Kimi Raikkonen and Giovinazzi in the Monaco Grand Prix while Kubica finished higher than Giovinazzi in it. Russell went on to finish ahead of Rich Energy Haas’ Kevin Magnussen in the Canadian Grand Prix.

Neither Russell nor Kubica has recorded a top 14 finish all season. But despite all of this, there is on positive statistic that Williams currently co-lead with two other teams through the season’s first eight races — and I’m not referring to their regularly quick pit stops, which are always quite quickly offset by their terrible race pace.

Alfa Romeo Racing are one of these two teams, and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, the team that have won 10 consecutive races going back to last season, are the other.

Yes, ladies and gentleman. Williams are among the elite again.

What exactly is this statistic?

Finishes.

No Williams, Alfa Romeo Racing or Mercedes driver has been forced to retire at any point throughout the season’s first eight races. The drivers on each of these three teams have combined to record 16 finishes so far this season.

Of course, the average finishing position for Williams’ two drivers is 16.69, while it is 12.75 for Alfa Romeo Racing’s two drivers and what Williams’ is but without one of the 6’s for Mercedes’ two drivers (1.69), but let’s not let negativity get in the way of the Grove-based team’s one shining moment of what has been and what will continue to be a 2019 Formula 1 season to forget.

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Congratulations to Williams on what will probably end up being their biggest accomplishment of the 2019 Formula 1 season: having both of their drivers finish each of the season’s first eight races, or however long this streak lasts. Who knows? May they will end up being the last team standing in this category to further highlight this achievement. Never say never.

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