Although the 2021 season has just ended, the world of Formula 1 is impatient to watch the new single-seaters, result of a complete revolution, on track.

The teams re-tasted the asphalt immediately after the Abu Dhabi race, but there is still too little information to try to understand how the cars will perform next year with the new tyres.

Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance at Williams, explained to Motorlat and other selected media how their tests would have taken place, also alluding to the preparation of the 2022 car..

“The test is in two parts, one is the testing of next year’s tyres which is what generally what pre season test is for, obviously complicated by the big change of next year and the second part is running young drivers ang giving them a chance to experience F1 cars," he said.

That sound 😍🔊@LoganSargeant pic.twitter.com/JEoDCKzPio

— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) December 14, 2021

“So initially we couldn’t take part in either session, because you can’t do it if you don’t have the mule car, but then few weeks ago I think, we explored the possibility with the other teams and with the FIA to change that because there’s no way you can get the mule car done in time, everyone agreed an so it was rectified by the sport council.

“This year with the new ownership we decided to spend our resources on other things, not on the mule car, so that’s how we ended up in this position.

“Hopefully we can catch up very quickly to be ready in Barcelona.”

He also spoke about the new 18-inch Pirelli tyres and on how they think they won’t have to worry too much about them, even if compared to the current 13-inch, the new ones are a completely new project: there’s been a complete redesign that involves all the elements of the tyre, from the profiles, to the structure, to the compounds.

“With the data we’ll get from the tests and the lap tests Pirelli will do on behalf of the teams, I think there’s a good chance we’ll collect al lot of the data that we need,” – he said – “And then once we’re running in Barcelona I think we’ll come to terms with the tyres reasonably quickly.

Robson also commented on Williams' new driver Alex Albon, who will come back in Formula 1 after one year far from the track.

“We got the program more or less sketched out for his time in the factory, beginning next year, obviously he has a lot of people to meet, we had a simulating program lined up so Nicky has already kicked off some of that, along with the other drivers who do the work on the simulator.

“In terms of things he has already tried with Red Bull I think it might be a limited value, because we don’t know the details of the Red Bull car that did the tyre testing, the downforce and everything.”

When he was asked by Motorlat about his thoughts on Hamilton, as he witnessed him directly at McLaren where he was Button's race engineer, he said:

“He’s been fortunate enough to drive phenomenally good cars in the last few years so that undoubtly helps.

“But I mean, I don’t know where to start really, I wasn’t with him for a long time, but I can say he’s got amazing talent to drive the car, he’s also got a phenomenal hand and crucially well founded self belief, he deals with the pressure exceptionally well, he just got all I think.”

“He’s just got better and better during the years, hasn’t lost interest, he’s completely focused and dedicated to his job and clearly works really well with a very good team.

He also said some nice words on Latifi, saying that he’s talented and defining him an “almost too intelligent” driver.

“He’s got a lot of very good talent to drive a F1 car and understanding it and articulating were the problems are.

"Obviously there is a big change next year, the car is completely different, new teammate as well, so I think there’s an opportunity for him to really shine, he’s got what he needs, he needs to trust his instincts a little bit more, he overthinks too much, he’s almost too intelligent.

“So I think with a car a bit quicker he can relax a bit more and trust his instincts next year, for sure.”