Click it and Unblock the Notifications
2014 Williams Formula 1 Car - FW36 - Revealed
Williams, the Formula 1 veteran, had a dismal run during last year's F1 season, with the team only managing 5 points in the entire season. The British team will try to put that behind this year with their brand new car - FW36 - renderings of which have now been released.
Related: 2014 Force India F1 Car Revealed
The 2014 Williams Mercedes FW36 gives us the first clear look at the new front wing design which many teams are likely to incorporate. The nose is lower and the front wing narrower compared to previous year.
"There are some significant changes: the nose is lower than last year and the front wing is narrower, which means the end plates are now more shrouded by the front tyre. The rear wing isn't as deep as last year and the beam wing below it is no longer permitted, and we've also lost the ability to use the exhaust to enhance aero performance," said Williams chief technical officer Pat Symonds.
Besides the noticeable changes on the outside the new F1 car also gets a brand new power system, a turbocharged engine hooked to a comprehensive energy recovery/delivery system, turning it into full fledged hybrid system. Williams will be using a Mercedes built engine this time whereas it made use of a Cosworth engine last year.
Watch: 2014 Formula 1 Technical Changes Explained
"There's a lot more technology on the cars this year," Symonds said. "We've had turbo-charged engines in F1 before; what's different this time is that it is much more than just an engine change, it is a completely different system. We've gone from a slightly hybridised normally-aspirated engine to a fully-integrated hybrid power unit with novel technology at its heart."
"Overall the cars will need more cooling this year," he added. "The demands on water and oil cooling may be slightly diminished, but the ERS system is significantly more powerful and hence needs more cooling. We also have to cool the charge air from the turbocharger compressor which requires a substantial intercooler," he added.
Also Read: 2014 F1 Engine Changes Explained
Seen here in Williams' "Heritage Blue"body colour, the FW36 will also be using an eight speed transmission, the first such unit ever built by the team. "It's completed a lot of running on the test rig and at Mercedes HPP (High Performance Powertrains) in Brixworth, but you can't take reliability for granted. It's a completely new 'box and it has to cope with a lot more torque than was the case with the (2013) V8."
Driving the Williams FW36 this year will be Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa who will be seen testing the new cars during the official pre-race testing session between January 28 and 31 in Jerez.
Continue with Google