Posts Tagged Williams

Williams was one of the last teams to unveil their 2009 challenger, the FW31. The car will be, just as in 2008, powered by the same engine used by Toyota. In addition, Williams is the only team to have developed a mechanical KERS solution, in the form of a flywheel storing kinetic energy. However, Williams may not run this system until mid-year due to reliability concerns.

The team has had some sponsorship problems, with Lenovo and RBS leaving the team. However, Phillips has already taken the place of Lenovo, and Frank Williams has promised that the team will be able to successfully compete in the 2009 season.

The designers of the FW31 have stretched the new regulations in a new way, in the form of “skate fins” seen on either side of and right behind the driver’s head. These fins clear up the airflow over the rear wing, improving downforce.

The FW31 will be piloted by the same drivers as previously – Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima. Especially Rosberg has shown a lot of promise in previous seasons, and it is obvious that he is being kept back by a below-par car. Winter testing has confirmed that the FW31 isn’t that special compared to the rest of the field, with the team only managing lap-times in the bottom half of the field. While pre-season testing does not really indicate how a team may perform, it is obvious that Williams will not be having a great season, with the team expected to make up the bottom half of the grid.