Unlike the previous season when it took the Williams team our or five races to get up to speed, it was hoped that, after a strong finish to 2003 and an impressive pre-season, the Williams FW26 would hit the ground running, earning big points from the outset. This was not Read more…
With a new driver line-up and on the back of a string of race-winning seasons, the Williams team approached the 2005 season with quiet optimism. However, while the Williams FW27 was regularly able to compete for points, and from time-to-time podiums, it was significantly slower than the front running teams Read more…
The season began promisingly for the Williams FW28 when in the opening round of the 2006 Formula 1 World Championship in Bahrain, drivers Mark Webber, in his second season with the team, and new-boy Nico Rosberg, reigning GP2 Champion and son of former Williams World Champion Keke Rosberg brought their Read more…
The Williams FW29 was constantly challenging for points, but was rarely in contention for podiums, scoring just the one in the hands of Alex Wurz in Canada. The FW29 was well off the pace of the McLarens and the Ferraris, but when McLaren were excluded from the 2007 championship due Read more…
The FW30, and the 2008 season marked Williams’ 30th year in Formula 1. The Williams FW30 made its debut at the Australian Grand Prix in 2008, and announced its arrival with a podium for Rosberg and a sixth place for Nakajima. Three top ten finishes each were to follow before Read more…
Despite failing to score a podium finish, Nico Rosberg regularly finished in the points, with six consecutive top six finishes mid-season. His teammate Kazuki Nakajiima however, fared less well, failing to score a point all season. The Williams FW31 was a midfield runner, capable of scoring points on most occasions, Read more…
The Williams FW32 marks the beginning of the team’s engine partnership with Cosworth, and the team’s second ‘clean sheet’ design in as many years. A ban on refuelling and a new set of regulations forced Williams into a complete rethink, focusing its efforts around the car’s aerodynamic efficiency. It featured a Read more…
The livery of the Williams FW33 was inspired by Williams’ Rothmans era of 1994 – 1997 (see Williams FW16), with a silver stripe and a metallic red stripe adding to the dark blue of previous seasons. Williams was one of a number of teams trying to evoke previous glory with Read more…
Having undergone a technical review, Williams installed Mike Coughlan, formerly of McLaren as Technical Director & Chief Designer. He was joined by Mike Somerville who was promoted to head of aerodynamics. Under this new technical leadership, the FW34 took on a ‘fresh design philosophy’. Revised FIA technical regulations banning blown exhausts, complex Read more…
“[The FW35 is] a better, more refined Formula One car than the FW34 and I think everyone involved in the project can feel proud of the work they’ve done” said Williams Technical Director Mike Coughlan ahead of the season opener in Australia in 2013. Although it was essentially an evolution of Read more…
