Williams F1: The regulatory change gave them a headache
Asked by the team's website, Pat Symonds indicated that the design and development of the Williams FW37 were not without challenges, even though the ambition remains intact.
Williams was the first to present its car for the 2015 Formula 1 season. After a surprising and competitive 2014 season, rewarded with a third-place finish in the constructors’ standings after several seasons at the bottom of the pack, the team hopes to continue its progress by multiplying podium finishes and capitalizing on its relationship with engine supplier Mercedes.
Pat Symonds, the technical director of Williams, explained that the transition from the FW36 to the FW37 was not without difficulties: « The change in rules gave us a slight headache. The new front and nose geometry had more impact than we initially anticipated and the effect on aero was profound. Even though the aerodynamics of the [2014] car were impressive, there is always room for improvement, especially by using the new nose regulations. The team worked hard to make up for the deficit these rules created for us. »
The design of the 2015 single-seater was an opportunity to extend the work on the FW36 by correcting its flaws: « The goal for the FW37 was to take a close look at the FW36 and its performance. It was then a question of highlighting what worked well and identifying and correcting the areas that needed improvement. We felt we were reaching the limits of the FW36 and took the opportunity to remove these limits for the benefit of performance. The FW36 carried a significant amount of ballast, so we were able to make design changes for additional performance without the fear of adding excessive weight. »
In the battle for the podium in the Constructors’ Championship in 2014, Williams pushed the development of the FW36 far. However, Symonds believes the team will be competitive from the start of the season: The desire to beat Ferrari for third place in the Constructors’ standings in 2014 led us to push development until the fall. But the size of the team is now such that it has been able to sustain this development while working on the FW37.
The founder and director of the team, Frank Williams, is ambitious: « After a very good first year with Mercedes, we hope to further develop this partnership as we aim for more podiums in 2015. The team had a fantastic season last year, and we will aim to replicate this development throughout the winter and start 2015 in a good position. We have a very talented group of people here at Williams, who managed to turn things around in 2014, and everyone has worked tirelessly to continue climbing the grid. »
