Williams chief makes Las Vegas claim after damaging ‘nearly all parts’ in Brazil

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It was a tough weekend for Williams in Brazil after both drivers crashed out of qualifying hours before the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

Franco Colapinto damaged the right corner of his car after losing control exiting the Senna ‘S’ section, while Alex Albon inflicted significantly more damage to his Williams after losing control heading into the first corner.

Williams was forced to withdraw Albon from the race given the tight turnaround time, as qualifying was put forward to Sunday morning and the race start was brought back a few hours to avoid it being rained off.

Colapinto managed to make it back out for the race, but he only lasted 30 laps before crashing while under a Safety Car just a couple of laps after a pit stop. The total amount of crash damage cost Williams millions, while they also slipped down to ninth in the Constructors’ Championship with Alpine’s double podium.

There were some concerns over whether Williams would have enough spare parts in time for the race in Las Vegas, with their chief mechanic Ben Howard issuing an update on their official YouTube channel.

Williams chief mechanic claims they are in a better position for Las Vegas despite crashes

Rumours suggested that Williams might have to skip the race in Las Vegas amid a shortage of spare parts, however, it has turned out not to be the case.

Williams staff have worked around the clock to make repairs to parts that were damaged in Sao Paulo, while their composites department has made a new chassis for Colapinto in time for the final triple-header.

“We got the chassis back out from composites last night. All freshly painted, new bits on there which are all done. The guys in composites have worked all night to get the chassis for Franco ready. It’s been crazy. After last week, it was a bit daunting as we damaged nearly all the parts that we had and it wasn’t realistic to get everything ready,” said Howard.

“But it’s been amazing, the bits that have turned up, we’ve had an abundance of them, and everybody has worked throughout to push the boundaries. I think we will turn up in Vegas in a better state than we did in the last event, so it’s credit due to everybody.”

Franco Colapinto could help Williams raise money for crash damage costs

Although the final seat on the 2025 grid was effectively decided with Sauber choosing Gabriel Bortoleto, there is still a chance that Colapinto could find his way onto the grid.

Colapinto has generated interest from Red Bull following his few races at Williams, having shown he can slot in and deliver results for the team. He also brought a considerable amount of sponsorship money, which could help Red Bul fill up any gaps that might be generated by axing Sergio Perez.

READ MORE: Everything to know about Williams driver Franco Colapinto with praise to stats

Karun Chandhok has warned against any move to Red Bull for Colapinto, suggesting that it might be too early in his career to go up against Max Verstappen.

Any deal would likely see Colapinto partner Yuki Tsunoda at Visa CashApp RB, with Liam Lawson promoted to Red Bull.