Williams FW33

[dren]

Well now that Rubens has laid down a scorcher time on the last day of testing to lead the week by a half second, I guess we'll see some more traffic here .. The speculation begins!

German AutoMotorUndSport reports that some people think that the Willimas was underweight when it ran that laptime. Quote of an unnamed actual F1-driver "I don't believe this time. If that is real, they will be up front (with us)"

I expected a PR lap time from Williams due to the recent IPO. But only time will tell.

[BreezyRacer]

German AutoMotorUndSport reports that some people think that the Willimas was underweight when it ran that laptime. Quote of an unnamed actual F1-driver "I don't believe this time. If that is real, they will be up front (with us)"

Sounds like a Sebastian Vettel quip .. quite fittingly from a German pub too.

[FrukostScones]

Sounds like a Sebastian Vettel quip .. quite fittingly from a German pub too.

let's hope he is wrong

[segedunum]

I don't think they were underweight. If he had 20 kilos of fuel on board when he did that run and then had around 150 kilos later when hid did 1:26s then that would tally. You can explain that with fuel. I don't believe they took anything else out of the car.

You had to expect a glory run from Williams with the lack of sponsors and the IPO. Inevitable and understandable really.

[Richard]

I don't think they were underweight. If he had 20 kilos of fuel on board when he did that run and then had around 150 kilos later when hid did 1:26s then that would tally. You can explain that with fuel. I don't believe they took anything else out of the car.

Where you in the garage?

Perhaps he had 80kg and 190kg on the two runs .... or perhaps there was the same on fuel on both runs but the engine was turned down on the slower runs.

Speculation on fuel levels and pace at this stage is utter bunkum.

[segedunum]

The suggestion was that he was deliberately running underweight, meaning not just low fuel but with little to no ballast. However, you can explain the time he did with the other times he was doing on longer runs.

The fast time he did would have taken around 20 kilos, as Jerez uses about 2.5 kilos per lap. Later he was doing 1:26s on something like a 25 lap run I think. The difference in lap time is such that he would have been carrying something around 150 kilos of fuel with a corresponding 5.5 to 6.0 second deficit to his fastest time. That tallies reasonably well as a back of the hand calculation.

Speculating about other fuel loads or engines being turned down (highly unlikely because there is no point at all to it) really is bunkum.

[timbo]

The suggestion was that he was deliberately running underweight, meaning not just low fuel but with little to no ballast. However, you can explain the time he did with the other times he was doing on longer runs.

I remember reading that since this year the weight would also be checked at the tests to avoid glory runs.

[Francesc]

The suggestion was that he was deliberately running underweight, meaning not just low fuel but with little to no ballast. However, you can explain the time he did with the other times he was doing on longer runs.

The fast time he did would have taken around 20 kilos, as Jerez uses about 2.5 kilos per lap. Later he was doing 1:26s on something like a 25 lap run I think. The difference in lap time is such that he would have been carrying something around 150 kilos of fuel with a corresponding 5.5 to 6.0 second deficit to his fastest time. That tallies reasonably well as a back of the hand calculation.

Speculating about other fuel loads or engines being turned down (highly unlikely because there is no point at all to it) really is bunkum.

Pirelli said there was a 3 seconds difference between super soft and hard tyres, so without knowing in which tyres he was during those long run all we talk is pure speculation.

[Caerdroia]

The suggestion was that he was deliberately running underweight, meaning not just low fuel but with little to no ballast. However, you can explain the time he did with the other times he was doing on longer runs.

I remember reading that since this year the weight would also be checked at the tests to avoid glory runs.

Can you remember where you read that? It seems strange they'd check the weight of cars at the tests when the cars themselves don't even have to conform to regulations.

[PlatinumZealot]

I don't think they were underweight. If he had 20 kilos of fuel on board when he did that run and then had around 150 kilos later when hid did 1:26s then that would tally. You can explain that with fuel. I don't believe they took anything else out of the car.

[Sebp]

Come on folks, stop the bickering. Can't you just enjoy that Williams are where they belong for once - at the top of the timesheets!!!

- sorry for the fanboyism and the pointless post -

[andrew]

Williams have a habit of doing this in the likes of testing and practice sessions. They are without a major sponsor, other than the cash brought by Molando. If Maldonado turns out to be duff and is not retained in 2012, the Williams are going to be very light on funds.

[Sebp]

Didn't they sell their flywheel hybrid system from 2009 to Porsche? And aren't all the cars in F2 de facto Williamses? That should be generating some revenue, should it not? If anyone has any figures, let's have 'em.

[timbo]

The suggestion was that he was deliberately running underweight, meaning not just low fuel but with little to no ballast. However, you can explain the time he did with the other times he was doing on longer runs.

I remember reading that since this year the weight would also be checked at the tests to avoid glory runs.

Can you remember where you read that? It seems strange they'd check the weight of cars at the tests when the cars themselves don't even have to conform to regulations.

You know, I tried and I can't...
I certainly have memories of reading that, but where I can't remember
Sorry...

[horse]

For Williams being quick this year: Fancy gearbox + suspension = missing rear end. Fancy splitter too, maybe?

Against Williams being quick this year: http://www.gpupdate.net/en/f1-news/2280 ... st-moment/