Williams’ Top 5 Highlights of the 2014 Formula 1 Season

For Williams Martini Racing, 2014 was a return to the sharp end of the grid. Although the team has won nine constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ titles in almost 40 years of existence, it had fallen woefully behind in recent years. 

Until now.

Williams elected to invest in its performance this year, a decision that has paid off in the form of seven podiums, 254 points and the real possibility of finishing third in the championship.

In a year of many highlights for the team, here are our top 5:

5. Williams announces title sponsorship deal with Martini, resulting in one of the best-looking cars on the grid.

4.  Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas qualify first and second for the Austrian Grand Prix, making Williams the only team besides Mercedes to lock out the front row in qualifying for a race.

3. Over 29 days, from June 22 to July 20, Bottas scored three podiums, equaling the number of podiums Williams had collected in the previous six seasons combined.

2. Massa scores two emotional podium finishes — in Italy, where the former Ferrari driver receives a hero’s welcome from the tifosi, and at his home race in Brazil.

1. Depending on its result in this weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Williams can finish third or fourth in constructors’ championship. A fourth-place would be its best finish since 2007; third place would be its best since 2003.