Paul Jeffrey
Premium
Williams Martini Racing have revealed the new for 2018 FW41 to the world, the car the British team hope to return the once great team to Grand Prix success in the year ahead.
Due to be driven by Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin during the 2018 Formula One season, the new FW41 will be the first Williams car to benefit from the influence of new Chief Technical Officer Paddy Lowe and Head of Aerodynamics Dirk de Beer, both of whom joined the multiple championship winning outfit at the beginning of 2017 with the aim of retuning the team back to the head of the Formula One pack.
The new car, dubbed FW41, will once again be powered by the category leading Mercedes engine and Lowe thinks 2018 could be a good opportunity for the British privateer to halt the gradual downward spiral of recent seasons:
“It is very exciting to be giving everyone the first look at the FW41. It is the product of some great teamwork across the various functions in the organisation including aerodynamics design, vehicle dynamics, race engineering and systems engineering. The car has many new features, most of which are not all that obvious, but externally the team has pursued a very different aerodynamic concept which has allowed us some significant progress in aerodynamic performance. All Formula One cars are an evolution of what has gone before to some extent, but the FW41 does involve a number of departures from the directions that have been pursued in the past. Overall, the philosophy we are starting to see emerge is a new approach to the collaboration between aerodynamics and design to achieve the optimum working result.
Aerodynamics, structure and weight are the three major trades to be made in designing a Formula One car, and all the work, alongside a number of radical changes to the car’s packaging to incorporate further developments from Mercedes HPP, have led us to the FW41 being revealed today. We hope that this car will make progress in the performance rankings relative to 2017. The whole technical team is also feeling very positive about our two talented young race drivers with the combination of Lance and Sergey, alongside the contribution of Robert as our reserve and development driver.”
Aerodynamics, structure and weight are the three major trades to be made in designing a Formula One car, and all the work, alongside a number of radical changes to the car’s packaging to incorporate further developments from Mercedes HPP, have led us to the FW41 being revealed today. We hope that this car will make progress in the performance rankings relative to 2017. The whole technical team is also feeling very positive about our two talented young race drivers with the combination of Lance and Sergey, alongside the contribution of Robert as our reserve and development driver.”
As well as revealing the brand new FW41, Williams also confirmed new recruit Robert Kubica will be treated to three FP3 outings for the team in the season ahead, alongside his simulator commitments and time behind the wheel both in pre-season and in-season testing for the Grove team:
"I’m back in Formula One in a different role to when I was racing in 2011, but I’m back permanently in the F1 paddock, so I’m looking forward to it" Said Kubica, "It will be interesting to go back to some of the places I have been before, some of them providing different emotions from different moments in my life. Sometimes it can be quite difficult watching others racing, but I have a different role this year. It's sure to be a tough season with a lot of races and things to do. I have to be on top of the work I have to do for the team. So, let’s get started!”
Williams are the first team to officially launch their 2018 challenger, however the British squad aren't quite the first team to take the covers off a new car, having been beaten to the punch by the American Haas team who revealed virtual renders of their new machine earlier this week...
Formula One car launch dates:
February 14th - Haas Ferrari
February 15th - Williams Mercedes
February 19th - Red Bull Tag Heuer
February 20th - Renault
February 20th - Alfa Romeo Sauber Ferrari
February 22nd - AMG MercedesFebruary 20th - Renault
February 20th - Alfa Romeo Sauber Ferrari
February 22nd - Ferrari
February 23rd - McLaren Renault
February 25th - Toro Rosso Honda
TBC - Force India Mercedes
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Do you like the look of the new Williams? Can this be the car to take Williams back into the podium fight? Let us know in the comments section below!
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