2023 Williams Racing F1 Team

[EJ22B]

https://i.imgur.com/ji5i55z.png

If we compare this air flow with the RB, it is not refined at all. On the RB the flow around the side pod is a very defined vortex, here it just looks like it is all over the place and going over the edge. It might look like a similar approach, but it is not working if copying RB is the intention.
But this is a bit the issue of the whole car. The front wing looks like one from testing last year, there is no refined structure for generating vortices in front of the front tire like nearly everyone else uses it.

Sorry, but except for the front brake I can not see anything on this car that is interesting in regard of performance...rather interesting as a bad example.

Williams ex-technical director said last year that the entire team hasn't done proper R&D in years due to financial restrictions. The aero group as an example has to do a lot of R&D in different kinds of vortices, airflow paths.

They are yet to hire a head of aero, technical director. I think those roles really hold the key for this team to move forward. These roles are ultimately responsible for guiding the aero group and chassis group on what direction they need to pursue.

I also think they need a cto as that is responsible for providing the latest technologies to the team which Williams dearly need.

[basti313]

https://i.imgur.com/ji5i55z.png

If we compare this air flow with the RB, it is not refined at all. On the RB the flow around the side pod is a very defined vortex, here it just looks like it is all over the place and going over the edge. It might look like a similar approach, but it is not working if copying RB is the intention.
But this is a bit the issue of the whole car. The front wing looks like one from testing last year, there is no refined structure for generating vortices in front of the front tire like nearly everyone else uses it.

Sorry, but except for the front brake I can not see anything on this car that is interesting in regard of performance...rather interesting as a bad example.

Williams ex-technical director said last year that the entire team hasn't done proper R&D in years due to financial restrictions. The aero group as an example has to do a lot of R&D in different kinds of vortices, airflow paths.

They are yet to hire a head of aero, technical director. I think those roles really hold the key for this team to move forward. These roles are ultimately responsible for guiding the aero group and chassis group on what direction they need to pursue.

I also think they need a cto as that is responsible for providing the latest technologies to the team which Williams dearly need.

Do you think they have the money now?
I mean...hiring 100% new management is not cheap. That goes on top of a not existing R&D budget?

I do not get the praises from the page before. The Williams looks to me not even close to the AT. They can again battle against Haas for second to last.

[EJ22B]

Do you think they have the money now?
I mean...hiring 100% new management is not cheap. That goes on top of a not existing R&D budget?

I think by hiring James Vowles, Dorilton have made a statement showing they are serious about this project.

Williams are going to be at the budget cap from this season onwards according to Vowles which for me was surprising considering the little amount of sponsors they have.

Even teams like Sauber and Haas are only making the budget cap despite having loads of sponsors so for Williams to operate at cap shows a serious level of commitment by the owners.

[organic]

https://www.williamsf1.com/posts/ad35fe ... successful

In my first week, we had an F1 commission almost immediately, which is a significant point where all the teams come together and discuss how we are going to move the sport forwards.

Immediately following that, I went straight out to Bahrain to work with the team and see how we were doing at pre-season testing, then headed back to the factory for a few days, before I head back out to Bahrain for the first Grand Prix weekend of the season.

So, I think busy is the right word to describe my first week!

My first impressions of the team...

A nice piece from new TP, Vowles

[EJ22B]

https://www.williamsf1.com/posts/ad35fe ... successful

What we cannot do is sacrifice any of those for the short-term benefit of the FW45.

What does Vowles mean by that statement?

[McMika98]

https://www.williamsf1.com/posts/ad35fe ... successful

What we cannot do is sacrifice any of those for the short-term benefit of the FW45.

What does Vowles mean by that statement?

Wait patiently for next 4 years to be anywhere near top midfield, don't blame me if this years car is a dog.
The previous regime only got 1 year to turn things around and said similar stuff but they were not granted the benefit of doubt. They seem to have built a solid basic looking car.

[organic]

Great quali. Shame about mistakes for Albon/Sargeant on their final laps , but the car is clearly better than we all expected and Albon is driving the wheels off the car again. Sargeant looks like a talent to already be only a couple tenths off albon

They've been saying they should race better than qualify and the qualifying already looked promising.

I would also say Bahrain doesn't seem to suit the car, so I think they will have some good races this season

[joseff]

Not to mention, Sargeant equaled Norris' Q1 time

[EJ22B]

Great quali. Shame about mistakes for Albon/Sargeant on their final laps , but the car is clearly better than we all expected and Albon is driving the wheels off the car again. Sargeant looks like a talent to already be only a couple tenths off albon

They've been saying they should race better than qualify and the qualifying already looked promising.

I would also say Bahrain doesn't seem to suit the car, so I think they will have some good races this season

Front wing damage for Alex on his Q2 lap. The car suddenly started severely understeering in turn 4 then in turn 5 and 6. It's a shame as he was doing well.

Logan's performance shouldn't be surprising. The guy took pole in his debut Elms lmp2 race. He was very strong against in F3 and F2 too. He is just mentally not strong but he is only 22 years so he should develop into a very good talent.

[tomazy]

Interestingly, Alex thinks that they could be in Q3 judging by the time required to get there. So he thinks that 1:31.127 was in the car today.

[EJ22B]

Interestingly, Alex thinks that they could be in Q3 judging by the time required to get there. So he thinks that 1:31.127 was in the car today.

That's very promising considering Vowles has been talking about giving up on the FW45 early to focus on next years car.

I am not sure if he should follow that plan or not. The field looks tight and car looks pretty competitive so upgrading it throughout the season should be a logical choice.

[continuum16]

I think they will still develop the FW45 until they have a new TD, whose first and probably only focus will be on the 2024 car. Still, at the very least they aren’t cut adrift at the back and the race pace looked competitive enough that they shouldn’t drop back like in 2020 or 2021.

Sargeant already looks closer to Albon than Latifi ever did so the team is no longer fighting with one hand behind their back, which doesn’t hurt.

[Moctecus]

Regarding Albon vs Sargeant, it should be noted that they did not drive the same specification car.
Only Albon had the new low downforce rear wing introduced this weekend, while Sargeant ran the old mid-downforce model.
See the car thread for comparisons.

[EJ22B]

Regarding Albon vs Sargeant, it should be noted that they did not drive the same specification car.
Only Albon had the new low downforce rear wing introduced this weekend, while Sargeant ran the old mid-downforce model.
See the car thread for comparisons.

Thanks for the comparison pics but both are older design rear wings.

Logan is running the old high downforce one probably because he is a rookie so it's easier for him to manage the car and tyres.

Alex is running the old low downforce rear wing probably to have a slight straight line advantage for overtaking other cars.

[McMika98]

Regarding Albon vs Sargeant, it should be noted that they did not drive the same specification car.
Only Albon had the new low downforce rear wing introduced this weekend, while Sargeant ran the old mid-downforce model.
See the car thread for comparisons.

Thanks for the comparison pics but both are older design rear wings.

Logan is running the old high downforce one probably because he is a rookie so it's easier for him to manage the car and tyres.

Alex is running the old low downforce rear wing probably to have a slight straight line advantage for overtaking other cars.

Alex was constantly purple on some straight sections without DRS but he will struggle around corners. Looks like he is setup for race more than quali, just needs to manage the deg.