Rubens Barrichello is confident that Williams will be in much better shape for the 2012 season after its recent engineering reshuffle.
Former technical director Sam Michael has moved to McLaren, with new arrivals Mark Gillan and Mike Coughlan leading a reorganized design and engineering team at Williams. Although the team has had the worst season of its current era – scoring only five points so far and languishing in ninth in the constructors' championship – Barrichello thinks the changes and the return of Renault engines can transform Williams' position in 2012.
"Engine side, structure, new thinking, motivation, everything can be a big step next year," he said. "That is what I believe. I don't know if it is going to be a winning car but it will be a hell of a lot better car."
The Brazilian, who is considered unlikely to stay with the team next season, said the team lacked leadership in the middle of the season as the restructuring unfolded.
"The problem this year was the leaving people until the others came in and that missing three to four months, that was no leadership at that time," said Barrichello. "Right now people are accommodating quite well, they have done everything they could to improve this car which is a very bad one, so they are putting all the efforts on a new one."