Williams F1 Team 2013

[roadie]

I am really shocked the team can't make the car work. There are two major differences between the FW35 and the FW34 that I can see - the rear suspension and the exhaust.

The team has been experimenting with the semi coanda exhaust for a while on both cars, not only during testing, but last season too. I could understand not using the ramp as it had only been on the car for a couple of days, but the performance in Australia was diabolical especially considering how well they normally go there.

The team must identify where they went wrong swiftly.

[Manoah2u]

To be honest, Williams really doesn't seem that entirely different from (the end of) last year - with the exceptance of 2 things;
1 - Senna is gone 2 - Barrichello's input is outdated now. That's the reason they have gona a little more to the back.
Bottas is not at all as good as many thought or believed him to be. He's in p19 with full weekends whilst his predecessor,
B.Senna, had to give up sessions to the Fin. I geniunly believe if Senna was still in that car, he'd be atleast 3 places ahead
of bottas. Maldonado is in his same outfit as last year - driving uncontrollably hot headed - last race crashing his car due
to poor, really poor amateuristic driver error. And where was bottas? a grey mouse somewhere in the back of the field.

Williams made a really, really lousy choice of passing Senna in favor of Bottas. They invested deeply into the Williams FW34
last year in the early part of the season, and the combination of Barrichellos input, Senna's understandability, and Maldonado taking the benefit of it all [Nr.1 driver, just check the paycheck], brought enough resources to bring Williams to the front, and combined with luck, that Williams was a genuinly good car at that time, last year. If Kimi or Alonso were in that car, they'd won several races. But in the end, it was like BrawnGP in 2009. They faded away over the course of the season, and the season after, they were a shim of the year before. Same with Williams now, they're sinking back into where they were when they had that Toyota powerplant in the back.

Apart from that, tension in the Williams team itself does not help AT all for the team. The death of Sir Frank Williams' wife no doubt has effect on the team, aswell as the leaving of key important staff members due to a beef with Bernie Ecclestone.
Williams, at the end of 2 seasons ago, and the beginning of last season, had pulled its sh*t together, and it showed in their results immediately. Instead of maintaining that, they made several lousy managing mistakes and they're back to square 1 again. They atleast had to keep Senna for another year, and grant him full weekends. In the meantime they should have kept their thing together, instead, Toto Wolff has run to the 'enemy', whilst singlehandedly putting Bottas in Senna's seat. Offcourse he didn't care about williams - he'd go to Merc anyway. He just cared about the driver he manages, bottas, and he got him a seat. And now we have a unexperienced, arrogant, completely grey driver, which is 'somewhere in between',
instead of a now experienced Senna, whom had pressure the entire past season anyway.

Williams is going to fade away into the back of the midfield again. With a little luck, they'll manage to keep Toro Rosso ahead of them. If they keep heading the same direction with Crashtor Maldonado, they'll get passed by Toro Rosso easily and find themselves feeling the hot breath of Marussia and Caterham in the neck - shame, shame, shame.

[stefan_]

Claire Williams becomes deputy team principal

Claire Williams has taken on the role of deputy team principal at the team founded by her father Frank Williams.

The death of his wife Virginia Williams led the team to postpone the announcement while was originally going to be made at the start of the season.

Claire Williams joined the team’s board in April last year and will continue her role as commercial director.

Frank Williams said he believes “the future of Williams is in extremely safe hands” following her appointment.

“Over the past decade Claire has worked tirelessly for Williams,” he said. “Her knowledge of the sport and passion for the team is unquestionable and I’m proud to say that during her time here she has proven herself to be one of our most valuable assets.”

“This appointment also had Ginny’s blessing who I know would have been incredibly proud to have seen Claire taking on this position by my side,” he added.

Claire Williams said: “I have grown up in the sport and have learnt the ropes from one of Formula One’s legendary team principals and as a result I feel well equipped for this new challenge.”

“I understand the commitment that every person within the team gives each day to see our car out on the track and I am determined to see us back at the top.”

“It has been a sad month for my family and Williams as a company following the death of my mother, but as the season takes hold we must look to the future,” she added.

[stefan_]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlIMkW0uHOg[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTm6GCJyCjc[/youtube]

[axle]

Alex Burns has been removed from the role of CEO...and replaced with Mike O'Driscoll.

Where there are sound bites on Mike's appointment there is a deafening silence over Alex Burns' departure. If anyone hears anything about the reasoning for AB leaving IMMEDIATELY I'd like to hear it.

To have a CEO leave with immediate effect means there's usually been a serious breakdown in the boardroom.

Just looking for idle gossip

http://www.f1technical.net/news/18449

[Cam]

To be honest, Williams really doesn't seem that entirely different from (the end of) last year - with the exceptance of 2 things;
1 - Senna is gone 2 - Barrichello's input is outdated now.

This is actually a huge problem F1 and Williams is a perfect case study. You only ever improve by having the best people around. When you don't, you suffer. You need the perfect mix of youthful enthusiasm and elder experience - something William's is sadly lacking. Why? Cash. They either don't have it or have it and won't spend it.

If Williams had any sense they'd ditch at least on driver and poach a Webber or Massa. They need a guru who can sit in the car and give back valuable feedback based on years with a top team - but someone who's still perfuming - somethign I feel Barrichello wasn't doing. Next, they need a young hot shot - superbly fast and probably reckless. When the 2 worlds converge, you'll get a package that can compete near the top.

So long as the focus remains on 'paying' drivers - and not on talent, expect similar results. To stay in the sport simply because you feel you've been around long enough - isn't enough. Be the best, have the best - or leave. Making up the numbers simply robs everyone of the possibilities.

[stefan_]

The Williams F1 Team and Mercedes-Benz announce long-term engine partnership

The Williams F1 Team and Mercedes-Benz are pleased to announce the signature of a long-term engine partnership from the 2014 Formula One World Championship season onwards.

Under the terms of the agreement, Williams will be supplied with a Mercedes-Benz Power Unit (Internal Combustion Engine plus Energy Recovery System) by Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains (HPP) based in Brixworth, UK. Williams will continue to manufacture its own transmission.

The 2014 regulations will set the sport’s engineers the challenge of completing a 300 km race distance on a fuel load of just 100 kg. To do so, teams will switch from naturally aspirated 2.4 litre V8 engines to 1.6 litre V6 turbocharged hybrid Power Units. To achieve power outputs comparable to current levels from the new Power Unit will require a 30% increase in energy efficiency.

This step forward will be largely achieved through an Energy Recovery System (ERS) that will be able to deploy ten times more energy than the current KERS. The new ERS will recover energy from both the exhaust turbine and the rear axle, as well as deploying energy back to both.

These new technical developments will offer significantly greater opportunities for technology transfer from Formula One to real-world applications in areas such as battery technology, turbocharging, energy recovery and combustion efficiency.

Speaking about the new engine partnership, Williams F1 Team Founder and Team Principal Sir Frank Williams said: “I’m delighted to announce our new association with Mercedes-Benz for the 2014 Formula One season and beyond. Mercedes-Benz has been one of the sport’s most successful engine suppliers and we believe that they will have an extremely competitive engine package. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Renault for their continued hard work since we renewed our engine partnership at the beginning of the 2012 season. We have enjoyed a strong relationship that has resulted in much success over the years, including powering us to winning ways once again last year at the Spanish Grand Prix.”

Claire Williams, Deputy Team Principal, said “The announcement of this partnership is exciting news for Williams. Securing the right engine supply partnership is a key milestone in the implementation of our strategy for long term success. We are also pleased to conclude this agreement early in the season and we very much look forward to working with Mercedes AMG HPP in developing our 2014 race car.”

Andy Cowell, Managing Director of Mercedes AMG HPP, commented: “It is a very proud moment for everybody at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains to announce the start of this new partnership with the Williams F1 Team. Williams is one of the sport’s iconic names and we are very excited to be working together towards a successful future under the new regulations. A further positive is that this new agreement provides Mercedes-Benz with the long-term stability of supplying our works team and at least two partners from the 2015 season onwards, following the conclusion of our relationship with McLaren at the end of next season.”

Toto Wolff, Executive Director of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, concluded: “The proud heritage of Williams and the company’s commitment to technological excellence make it a perfect long-term partner for Mercedes-Benz under the new powertrain regulations. It is a win-win situation for both HPP and Williams, which will ensure HPP is able to supply at least three teams on a long-term basis under the new regulations and could open interesting new perspectives for technology transfer. We look forward to enjoying much success together over the coming years.”

source

[turbof1]

you guys think Williams switched to Mercedes because of its lower price?

[Huntresa]

you guys think Williams switched to Mercedes because of its lower price?

Yeah i think so and that if we go on merit Renault and Merc both have two gr8 V8s, both good and bad a different stuff but very equal, so if the same happens during V6 i guess if you can get a good engine cheaper thats good.

[beelsebob]

you guys think Williams switched to Mercedes because of its lower price?

I'm not convinced. I was under the impression that Merc's engine was the most expensive, but I guess that can easily switch around with the new engines.

[turbof1]

According to amus, renault power trains cost 24m a year; merc power trains around 18-20m.

[Racer X]

Williams to make its own transmission this could potentially be what makes it stronger and or weaker. This will be interesting to compare Mercedez (transmission) and their effectiveness with Williams this really could be a chance for them to go back to the glory days.

[axle]

The important thing is the deal lasting more than 2 poxy years.

I would imagine that 5 years is the minimum they should aim for.

2014 engines are a complete gamble. I expect Merc and Renault have shared what they can about the relative merits of their units...if the only difference is ultimately price then it's a no brainer to take the Merc unit, especially in light of McLaren's exclusive deal with Honda from 2015. Most experienced Merc engineers working for McLaren right now will be moved over to Williams in 2014 IMO, leaving a far weaker squad at McLaren.

[Huntresa]

Williams to make its own transmission this could potentially be what makes it stronger and or weaker. This will be interesting to compare Mercedez (transmission) and their effectiveness with Williams this really could be a chance for them to go back to the glory days.

Williams have been making its own transmission for atleast the last 3 years, hence the non exisiting back end

[Clew]

Never thought I'd see the day Williams would team up with Mercedes-Benz. Only engine left for Williams is Ferrari