Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas think Williams can fight with Mercedes and Ferrari from fourth and sixth on the grid at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Williams made its usual improvement up the pecking order on Saturday morning and Massa will line up alongside Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel after finishing three tenths behind the four-time world champion.
Asked if Williams can challenge Mercedes and Ferrari on race day, the Brazilian replied: "I hope so! At least the long run I did yesterday was very good, it was very consistent, very good for the tyres and everything so for sure if we have that tomorrow we will be there in the fight. If what we showed yesterday on the long run is correct then we're there in the fight."
Last year Massa started from pole - the only non-Mercedes driver to do so all season - but Williams finished third and fourth behind Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton after running a conservative race strategy. Massa does not expect Williams to do the same this time around.
"Last year I think it was the first race we were fighting for the podium, so I think everything was a little bit green last year. Now we are more experienced, the people are better, the way we are working is better, for sure. So it can be better this year."
Bottas, who finished in sixth behind an impressive lap from Nico Hulkenberg, echoed his team-mate's optimism.
"Sometimes you don't know what engine modes and fuel loads run on long runs. We will see tomorrow but I think it will be one of our strongest races in terms of pace."
Explaining his qualifying performance, Bottas said: "It was really tight as expected; we just didn't have pace enough to match Mercedes or Ferrari. A bit unfortunate Hulkenberg got in front of me but the Q3 run was nothing special. I was hoping the track would be better in Q3 and then there was the yellow flag.
"On the Turn 2 exit, when there is a yellow flag, the DRS doesn't work so I knew it was game over and I wasn't actually improving. Not the best qualifying for me bit not that bad for us as a team because we know we have good race pace and so far it has looked the most promising of the Fridays, so we are hopeful for tomorrow, it is a long race."