Williams FW46

A place to discuss the characteristics of the cars in Formula One, both current as well as historical. Laptimes, driver worshipping and team chatter do not belong here.
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Moctecus
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Joined: 28 Oct 2015, 13:08
Location: Germany

Re: Williams FW46

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12 months worth of progress — a comparison with the launch-spec FW45:

Image

Most of the obvious visible changes were actually made last year with the FW45 Canada-upgrade:
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Williams said the FW46 wouldn't necessarily look drastically different to its predecessor, and indeed it doesn't. On the surface, it's mostly evolution rather than revolution. Without more images from different angles, I'm not certain how much has actually changed in some areas like the sidepod. The front wing and floor edge are probably the most significant visible changes. The big changes are obviously under the skin, on the underside, and in how the car was developed.

Williams have finished the job started last year of flattening and broadening the nose. Instinctively, you would perhaps expect the evolution to be from bulky to sleek and not the other way around. But this is the direction we've seen several teams go.

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organic wrote:
20 Feb 2024, 16:14
tomazy wrote:
20 Feb 2024, 16:11
I also think there is a lot les bulk behind the airbox than last year.
Airbox definitely slimmer from Rosario Giuliana's comparison

It looks to me like it could just be down to the difference in focal length and perspective. These photographs can be deceptive, because rather than being shot from far away with long telephoto lenses as usual, they were shot relatively close-up with a wider-angle lens. That will make features in the background look smaller. The images we'll get in the coming days should clear things up.

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organic
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Location: Cambridge, UK

Re: Williams FW46

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Moctecus wrote:
20 Feb 2024, 17:51
12 months worth of progress — a comparison with the launch-spec FW45:

Image

Most of the obvious visible changes were actually made last year with the FW45 Canada-upgrade:
Image

Williams said the FW46 wouldn't necessarily look drastically different to its predecessor, and indeed it doesn't. On the surface, it's mostly evolution rather than revolution. Without more images from different angles, I'm not certain how much has actually changed in some areas like the sidepod. The front wing and floor edge are probably the most significant visible changes. The big changes are obviously under the skin, on the underside, and in how the car was developed.

Williams have finished the job started last year of flattening and broadening the nose. Instinctively, you would perhaps expect the evolution to be from bulky to sleek and not the other way around. But this is the direction we've seen several teams go.

Image
organic wrote:
20 Feb 2024, 16:14
tomazy wrote:
20 Feb 2024, 16:11
I also think there is a lot les bulk behind the airbox than last year.
Airbox definitely slimmer from Rosario Giuliana's comparison

It looks to me like it could just be down to the difference in focal length and perspective. These photographs can be deceptive, because rather than being shot from far away with long telephoto lenses as usual, they were shot relatively close-up with a wider-angle lens. That will make features in the background look smaller. The images we'll get in the coming days should clear things up.
Great post and yes agreed on the last point

These photos should I think bias the airbox larger on the new car compared to old car based on angles/focal lengths and yet new airbox seems slimmer especially the lower parts of the airbox

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Image

And here's a front suspension comparison


McMika98
McMika98
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Joined: 18 Feb 2017, 22:40

Re: Williams FW46

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Very underwhelming and uninspiring car that was being developed from April last year. How they still use the old spiteful rear suspension that Merc wanted to bin so badly is beyond comprehension. Guess they are running behind and salvaging last year's parts to scrape pass testing. Was expecting a lot more radical and novel stuff as they seemed very secretive.

tomazy
tomazy
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Re: Williams FW46

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WATCH: Logan reflects on his first outing in the FW46

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Water slide is much steaper and deaper than it was FW45.

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Goblin42
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Re: Williams FW46

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Venturiation
Venturiation
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Joined: 04 Jan 2023, 19:48

Re: Williams FW46

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Rear pull rod

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organic
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Re: Williams FW46

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Venturiation wrote:
21 Feb 2024, 08:56
Rear pull rod
So they use 2023 Mercedes rear suspension as was pointed out here

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Moctecus
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Re: Williams FW46

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Image

Update:
Image
via Motorsport Images
The sidepod ramp has been deepened considerably. The (optional) cooling louvres inside it are a feature not seen on the FW45.

James Vowles has confirmed that the FW46 will use the 2023 Mercedes gearbox and casing. Apparently he said it at the season launch earlier this month, but it wasn't released. [article here]
Doesn't sound like it was purely an engineering-led decision:

"For Mercedes, having to supply two customer teams will all-new gearbox and rear suspension layouts would have been an extreme logistical challenge."
I'm curious about what those interesting things Vowles mentions are:
“In terms of the rear suspension, there's bits that we're happy to talk about, but I'm going to save it for Bahrain, because there's some interesting things to talk about where we've gone on rear suspension.”

Sevach
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Re: Williams FW46

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Image

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Moctecus
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Re: Williams FW46

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Close-up of the ramp via AMuS:

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KimiRai
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Re: Williams FW46

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Image


tomazy
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Re: Williams FW46

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Image

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Moctecus
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Re: Williams FW46

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Via Motorsport Images:

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organic
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Re: Williams FW46

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Quite a spectacular diveplane.. I guess diveblock is more appropriate

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matt_s
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Re: Williams FW46

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The waterslides ramp extremely aggressively, and that radiator vent into the ramp seems surprising. It was my understanding that the slides get clean flow down over the rear of the floor. Anyone have a view on what Williams are trying to do there?