Williams testing wrap
Williams Cosworth conducted a three day test this week at Jerez with Mark Webber, Nico Rosberg and Narain Karthikeyan all testing the development FW27C chassis that has been adapted to Cosworth V8 power, Bridgestone tyres and a new gearbox.
The final day of running, yesterday, saw Rosberg set the fourth fastest time as he completed 78 laps while former Jordan racer Karthikeyan ran 40 laps of the 4.428KM circuit.
As the team head home for the Christmas break, they can reflect on the fact that they were the second fastest V8 runners this week at the Spanish test circuit.
Sam Michael, Williams Technical Director “Over the last three weeks, the team has been hard at work in Spain, completing some really useful testing to identify any major issues with the new engine, gearbox and electronics that we will use next year. Mark, Nico and Narain drove at this week’s test in Jerez and all contributed to furthering our understanding of how the car is working on Bridgestone tyres and with a V8 engine. Now we’ve finished our 2005 testing programme, it's time for a short break before we return to Jerez in the New Year. We are really looking forward to starting 2006 with our partners, Cosworth and Bridgestone.”
Mark Webber “As with any testing at this time of year, it goes without saying that there are many new components on the car and it would be fair to say we're still getting to grips with some of them. In terms of solutions, the guys are doing a very good job at the moment. Personally, I don't feel I need a break so I wish we could continue with the programme, hence I'm looking forward to January, and especially February, when we’ll have the new car.”
Simon Corbyn, Cosworth Head of F1 Race Engineering “The initial tests with WilliamsF1 have been a big challenge for Cosworth and the new CA2006 V8 engine. Both engine performance and reliability have been encouraging, although we still have plenty to keep us occupied prior to the season opener in Bahrain. The next priority for both Cosworth and Williams is to enjoy a well deserved Christmas break.”
Kaz Hamamura, Bridgestone Test Operations Manager “This week draws to a conclusion the WilliamsF1 Team’s two week test with Bridgestone in Jerez. Although they have had limited running, the team have nevertheless worked well through their tyre tests. Furthermore, despite some interruptions, we have been very impressed with their efficiency and professionalism. The Williams FW27C is an interim car which is showing considerable potential and we were pleased with the consistency of the lap times over long runs.”
