Lowe focused on 'faster car' for 2018

Paddy Lowe is working hard to improve Williams' performance as the tech boss focuses on next year's hopefully faster charger.

The Grove-based outfit's results have slumped in the past two years, as it yielded its status as 'best of the rest' behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull to Force India.

Lowe, who left the dominant Mercedes squad at the beginning of the year to commit to Williams' resurgence as its tech boss and as a shareholder, admits he found himself in unfamiliar territory this season, but learned a lot.

"It's been a good year with some interesting challenges," he told France's Auto Hebdo.

"Getting familiar with the team, facing some difficulties specific to the middle teams compared to the ones at the front, is a new experience," Lowe added.

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During his first year with Williams, the 55-year-old engineer has initiated many changes at Grove, among which is a new approach to the team's design efforts in a bid to iron out the outfit's inconsistent performance and move up the grid.

But above all, Williams needs a faster car, Lowe admits.

"Williams is a good team, often setting the standards in pitstops for instance and our way of operating. On the other hand, we need a faster car.

"We have the ambition to move forward and win again. That's why we're here."

As he immersed himself along with his colleagues in the design of next year's car, Lowe underlined the importance of getting it right from the outset as teams compose with the mandatory presence of the Halo.

"It's an important project, with an impact that is more structural than aerodynamic," Lowe explained.

"Making the right decisions for next year's car is an important project for the coming months. We'll see what we can learn from this year," he said.

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