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Williams won't write off 2018 season and vow to 'fix' underperforming car

"We don't give up," insists Claire Williams who says team "trust" Paddy Lowe to work through issues

Claire Williams has categorically ruled out any prospect of the Williams writing off 2018 to make any early start on their 2019 car.

The former world champions are enduring a torrid season, propping up the Constructors' Championship, and suffering a double elimination in the first round of qualifying in five of the seven events so far.

"We have to fix this car," a defiant Williams told Sky Sports F1. "We don't give up, we can't give up during a season as we're an independent team. If we gave up our sponsors would probably give up and we can't afford to do that.

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"It is hard work, we have also got to look at next year's car but this is going to be the bedrock of next year's car. We have got to get this car right if we are going to make steps forward next season."

While Williams have suffered on track, their team boss has said she has been encouraged by the team's resolve as the Grove workforce try to find a cure for a car which misbehaved since birth.

"It hasn't been the best year and it is really difficult," said Williams. "It is difficult to keep morale up but the guys are doing a great job. It's been the one thing I've been quite surprised by, how strong the morale is and everyone has dug in really deep and found the Williams fighting spirit.

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"That's all we can ask from them at the moment. We are putting them through the mill but everyone is working really hard and we have to get ourselves out of this."

Williams added: "The support that we are getting at the moment means an awful lot. I know we have let our fans down and I hate that. I'm dreading going to Silverstone because people deserve better from us. All we can do is work through this together as a team and that's what we are doing. Everyone is fighting."

That includes Paddy Lowe, who now presides over Williams' technical department - and a car at the back of the grid - just a few years after being a pivotal player in Mercedes' rise to supremacy.

"We have a recovery plan in place that Paddy has set in motion off the back of Barcelona and we just need to work through that," said Williams. "Unfortunately, though, turning things around when you have the issues that we have isn't the work of a moment. It's patience that we need.

"We have some fantastic people at Williams who are working really hard for us and all under Paddy's direction. Paddy has got some great credentials and we need to trust in him and trust in the team that we have working for us at the moment that we can get us out of this.

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