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The Williams Formula 1 team must learn to become a frontrunner again so it can properly capitalise on opportunities like its Austrian Grand Prix pace, according to Rob Smedley.

The Grove-based team produced its most convincing performance of the season at the Red Bull Ring, locking out the front row with Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas, and finishing third and fourth in the race.

But both were beaten by the Mercedes of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton, and head of vehicle performance Smedley admitted afterwards that Williams had focused on securing its biggest points haul of the season, rather than trying to race for victory.

Austrian GP analysis: Should Williams have won?

Pastor Maldonado's 2012 Spanish GP win aside, Williams has not challenged at the front for several seasons.

When asked by AUTOSPORT if Williams needed to learn to be a frontrunner again after spending so long in the doldrums, Smedley said: "I think that is a fair summary to be honest.

"I think we have to look inwardly at ourselves and understand how we improve in every single tiny detail, because it's in the details, there's no big magic bullet.

"We were racing against a very professional outfit with a quicker car, but very well organised. And why are they so well organised? Because they've got such a depth of experience racing at that end of the field.

"From racing last year, as Williams were, in 13th, 14th, 15th position, to racing in first, second, third, fourth position is a completely different thing. Believe me, because I've done both ends.

"We have to learn. That's what I'm here for, so yes, end of school report: must do better."

NOTHING BROKEN

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff spoke of Williams needing to 'trust' in itself in order to win, and Smedley reckons Williams has everything it needs to become a regular frontrunner again, so long as it does not repeat mistakes.

"There's nothing big broken at Williams," Smedley added.

"It's just about learning how to race at this end - from an operations point of view, from a performance point of view - it's just about adding little bits of performance in all areas of the car, [looking at] how we operate, making mistakes and going back and fixing them and not doing them again.

"When you're at the back and have the worst car nothing seems to be clear; when you're at where we are at the minute it's [about] keeping all the plates spinning and not taking your eye off any area.

"What is guaranteed to happen with the direction we are going in at the minute is that we will grow as a team and become stronger, and we will be able to do what Red Bull has done, and what Mercedes has done.

"That's our target. We aim to be at least as good as that, if not better."