What a great day for F1 !

[pino]

Well done Maldonado, well done Williams ! I am especially pleased for legendary Frank, he deserves this :up:

[F1boat]

I agree... very emotional to see an underdog winning and of course, Williams-Renault back where they belong... awesome!

[N. Jones]

I also agree. It's great to see Williams back on top!

[ArrowsFA1]

A great story to see a great team back where they belong. A thoroughly deserved victory :D

Never doubted them for a minute :)

[keysersoze]

Seriously, when was the last time we had this big of an surprise / upset in a non rain-affected race?

Sure, first time winners are, to a degree, surprises, but I don't think anyone can call Alesi's, Trulli's, Button's, Webber's, or Rosberg's opportunities to win surprises, since they all had front-running cars. Vettel's and Panis' wins both due to extreme conditions.

[gloomyDAY]

A great story to see a great team back where they belong. A thoroughly deserved victory :D

Never doubted them for a minute :) I did! I'm glad they did all that house-cleaning and especially since Adam Parr left. I hope he's crying in his luxury London condo.

[F1boat]

I don't know... can't remember honestly.

[F1boat]

I did! I'm glad they did all that house-cleaning and especially since Adam Parr left. I hope he's crying in his luxury London condo.

I was afraid that they will disappear like Tyrrel. I'm very happy that I was wrong.

[Dave B]

It's been a difficult few years for us Williams fans, with some interesting decisions regarding driver selection and the seemingly endless selection of engine suppliers. Last year was particularly horrible, but it's so heartening to see such a great team back at the front. :champion:

[christophulus]

So so happy, about time they finally came good!

Several years of pain all forgotten in one day. :D

[Mia 01]

This win could save the Williams team. very glad for the whole team.

[jens]

Absolutely sensational stuff, the incredible 2012 carries on with a vengeance! Pastor Maldonado is a Formula One Grand Prix winner! :eek: Who would have thought that? Seriously, I didn't think Williams would ever have a realistic chance to win a race again. And a couple of years ago, when Pastor was still a GP2 midfielders, I would have never thought this man is ever going to be a race winner in the highest category, which is F1.

Congrats to Maldonado and Williams, you managed to maximize that historic opportunity! :up: I was also thinking that perhaps it is a bit symbolic that the last Williams winner was Montoya. A driver similar to him has taken over the role of continuing the winning traditions of the legendary team. :)

[steveaki13]

Agree with Jens

This was a fantastic moment in F1 history.


Following the fortune of Williams ever since 97 when the Williams and Renault partnership ended, we had the Red Williams mechachrome or whatever it was, through the BMW years when once again Williams rose towards the front.

I enjoyed those days but ever since that last hurrah in 2004 from Montoya, it seemed as though Williams were sliding out of existence.

If you had asked me last year whether Williams could ever win a race again as one of the fastest cars and not via a Panis style carnage fest. I would have said no.

I also believed Williams may not exsist within a couple of years, whether they do carry on is more certain now (obviously not in its currant situation, as Frank Williams can't go on forever but it seems they are back in the frame.

Also if you had asked me will Maldonado ever win a race, I thought he would not be in F1 after a couple of seasons, but if he can do this in a decent car he may have a future in F1 after all.

I will eat all this humble pie gladly, as Williams belongs at the front and while they won't be (I say now) a championship contender, if this car carrys on like it has so far this season i.e regular points and now a win who is too say another win and some podiums might not be on the cards.

Lets hope so

[N. Jones]

The last time five different drivers won the first five races was in 1983 - Nelson Piquet, John Watson, Alain Prost, Patrick Tambay, Keke Rosberg.
1975 was also a year in which the first five winners were different - Emerson Fittipaldi, Carlos Pace, Jose Scheckter, Jochen Mass, Niki Lauda.

This season is the first for five different constructors winning the first five races.

[steveaki13]

Also the last time we had a suprise like this without rain????

It was nearly Fisichella for Force India in Spa 09.

Coulthard in 1997 Australia. Mclaren hadn't won in 3 odd years and were largely a midfield team, but still were Mclaren

[Mark]

Also the last time we had a suprise like this without rain????

It was nearly Fisichella for Force India in Spa 09.

Rosberg for Mercedes?

Perhaps Vettel for Torro Rosso.

[steveaki13]

The last time five different drivers won the first five races was in 1983 - Nelson Piquet, John Watson, Alain Prost, Patrick Tambay, Keke Rosberg.
1975 was also a year in which the first five winners were different - Emerson Fittipaldi, Carlos Pace, Jose Scheckter, Jochen Mass, Niki Lauda.

This season is the first for five different constructors winning the first five races.

Its amazing

So the first time five different teams have won the opening 5 rounds.

Dont think there has ever been 6 driver winners from the first 6 has there?

[steveaki13]

You could add Button for Brawn, as no one expected that team to exist let alone win a race.

[jens]

Its amazing

So the first time five different teams have won the opening 5 rounds.

Dont think there has ever been 6 driver winners from the first 6 has there?

Can't remember that. Can it happen now? :p : If 2012 has proven something, then anything is possible! Especially as next race is un-traditional Monaco, no-one has a clue, what is going to happen. I got tired of "traditional predictions" as they lead to nowhere and in my pickems I gave #1 spot to Force India. :D Sounds impossible? Well, who knows. :D

By the way, while comparing to past seasons, in 1982 Rosberg won the title only by mere 44 points. Maybe if we calculated current points to past system, we could get something similar in 2012. :p : In 1982 we also had 11 race winners and no-one achieved more than two wins.

In 1982 after five races the championship leader had 18 points (Prost), followed by Watson (17), Pironi (16), Rosberg (14).
In 2012 the championship leader (Vettel) has 18 points after five races, followed by Alonso (17) and Button (15).

11 race winners in 2012? Why not? Hamilton, Räikkönen, Grosjean, Schumacher, a Sauber, an outsider (Force India/STR like in late 2009/2008 respectively) - take your pick.

[steveaki13]

Who knows Jens as you say.

I think Lewis has a chance for his first win or a sneaky Schumacher or Sauber win.

[wedge]

Great drive by Pastor and great birthday present for Frank but sadly because of the tyres I'm not getting as great satisfaction of the result.

[Tazio]

Yeah babe~!~! :s mokin:









“A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism.”
― Carl Sagan

[N. Jones]

Its amazing

So the first time five different teams have won the opening 5 rounds.

Dont think there has ever been 6 driver winners from the first 6 has there?

I'll have to look it up again as I did not go past the fifth race. :D

[Hawkmoon]

I was desperately hoping Alonso would pass him but I had a smile on my face when Maldonado crossed the line. It's been a long road for Williams and I thought that were done. Truth be told, I still think Williams will fold or be sold. I'd really like to be proven wrong and hopefully this win is an indication that that will happen.

This is a great season!

[aryan]

I was desperately hoping Alonso would pass him but I had a smile on my face when Maldonado crossed the line.

Similar feelings here. I was hoping for both Alonso and Maldonado's tyres to drop off a cliff so Kimi could pass them both on that last lap... but when Maldonado crossed the line, it dawned on me that A WILLIAMS HAS WON!

I couldn't be happier.

[Mark]

Do we have a reason as to why Williams has just gone from Q2 contenders to race winners? We can't blame wet weather etc. So what was it, and can it be maintained?

[F1boat]

Maybe they lacked qualy speed and fixed that. They had good race pace in the first rounds as well.

[SGWilko]

Do we have a reason as to why Williams has just gone from Q2 contenders to race winners? We can't blame wet weather etc. So what was it, and can it be maintained?

Two things I reckon;

1. Tyres suiting different cars, on different tracks at different temperatures.
2. Engine - they dumped the underpowered and non torquey Cosworth.

Lest we forget how long it took Ferrari to win a championship again......

[Mark]

Lest we forget how long it took Ferrari to win a championship again......

That's true, however they were still thereabouts for the majority of the time, often finishing 2nd or 3rd in the constructors championship, it's just there were usually at least one team (usually Williams or McLaren, but also Benetton for a time) which were better than them.

That's to contrast with Williams who haven't really been troubling the top 10 for a long time now. Great to see the Williams-Renault name back at the front, the only problem being their livery being so poor and anonymous. Williams used to do excellent paint jobs!

[Knock-on]

I was afraid that they will disappear like Tyrrel. I'm very happy that I was wrong.

Tyrrell haven't gone. I was at the 'wake' in the Mucky Duck when the team name was passed on. Since those days, the spirit of Tyrell has won a WDC, WCC and is one of the front runners on the grid Well, they would be if they could get rid of the dead weight ;)

[Mark]

True I suppose but BAR just took the franchise, everything else was new really. Unlike with Red Bull where the heritage can be directly traced to Stewart (even though that's not a particularly historic team!)

[Knock-on]

True I suppose but BAR just took the franchise, everything else was new really. Unlike with Red Bull where the heritage can be directly traced to Stewart (even though that's not a particularly historic team!)

There are sometimes when even I err on the side of romance over facts. Let an old man indulge himself occassionally ;)

[darwin553]

Not only was it fantastic to see but it opens other doors of opportunity like attracting a title sponsor or an existing sponsor pouring more money into them (yep I am looking at you Gillette) Because whilst we and they were absolutely delighted with the result, they need much more of this to be a championship contender again and only more sponsors (including a title sponsor) can help them do it..

[truefan72]

I for one am glad that Williams is back to winning races
This year is shaping up to be one of the closest and most competitive championship yet

Legitimately we have 7 different manufactures that can win races
which means up 14 guys in the mix for top points
Now add that Hamilton, Webber and Kimi haven's won a race yet, and we have the recipe for a phenomenal season.

I never thought I would see Williams make it back to the top step, I even predicted that they were more likely to be sold or merged with a big manufacturer than win a race again.
glad I was wrong.

[AJP]

Happy Birthday Frank !!!!
So pleased for Williams F1. Such a great result for a team that really deserves it.
I hope they stay strong for the rest of the season.

[iva.rpm]

I'm very happy with Maldonado's win, too. He drove like a champion!
Happy Birthday, Sir Frank Williams!

[ArrowsFA1]

Gotta love Sir Frank's no-nonsense response:

When asked if Maldonado was only at Williams in the first place because of money, Williams said: "Yeah, he was to some extent. I'm not denying that. But if we thought he'd been a ****er, he wouldn't have got in the team no matter how much money he had."
Frank Williams says Pastor Maldonado was always the real deal - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/99626)

[ArrowsFA1]

Also, it reminds me that Frank, in his less successful early days, was known as ****er Williams :p