The celebrations just didn’t stop at the Williams Formula One team on the weekend even though in the end they were marred by a fire.
The blaze broke out in the Williams motor home as the team was posing for a group photo in celebration of Pastor Maldonado’s victory at the Spanish Grand Prix.
Nine people were reportedly hurt, one of them severely burnt and the rest treated for respiratory issues.
The stunning and unexpected victory of Maldonado capped the festivities which started when he came second in qualifying, grew when he was handed pole after Lewis Hamilton’s disqualification, and also saw the whole F1 world congratulate team owner Frank Williams who turned 70 last month.
World champion Sebastian Vettel was among those at the Frank Williams party talking to the living F1 legend, and on Sunday probably summed up the feelings of many after the race.
“Two weeks ago Williams were nowhere and now they are driving circles around all of us. That is difficult to understand,” Vettel said after his sixth-place finish.
Mercedes motorsport chief Norbert Haug said: “Congratulations to the Williams team. They deserve it.”
Mercedes themselves got their first victory in more than five decades as an independent team a few weeks ago from Nico Rosberg against the big three of McLaren, Red Bull and Ferrari.
But Williams’ weekend success was even more astonishing and only showed how unpredictable the 2012 campaign appears to be – with now five different winners from as many teams in the first handful of races.
“First podium, first victory, you can imagine how I feel,” said Maldonado, who is also the first Venezuelan atop an F1 podium in his second season in the sport. “It is a wonderful day for me and the team.”
Maldonado’s triumph ahead of local hero Fernando Alonso was Williams’ first victory in almost eight years since Juan Pablo Montoya came first at the Brazilian race in October 2004.
Founded by Frank Williams in 1977, Williams have won 114 F1 races and seven drivers’ championships, the last world title dating back to Jacques Villeneuve’s success in 1997.
They went through their worst season last year with just five points, but now have already 43 for sixth place on the table.
“It was much too long since the last Grand Prix victory, but we never stopped believing in us,” said Williams on Sunday.
And just as Sergio Perez’ recent second place for Sauber, points and recognition are crucial for Williams to compete financially with the big teams.
“All the boys are delighted, and I’m quietly delighted, boy did we need that win as you can well imagine,” Williams told the BBC. “The car has got possibilities and our rate of development has to exceed that of the other teams.”
Now that he has tasted victory, Maldonado certainly has more in mind for himself and the team, looking ahead at the next race, the glamour event of the year on May 27 in Monte Carlo.
“Monaco is a great opportunity for us to be strong again. We have to keep pushing with the car. Consistency is the most important thing this season,” he said.
