The Williams-Renault FW34 has been revealed to the world’s press just a few hours before the start of the opening pre-season testing in Jerez.
After a very poor 2011 season, in which the Grove-based team scored just five points and finished ninth in the constructors’ standings, Williams are hoping for a changes in fortunes this year.
The FW34 is the first Williams to be produced since the major change of technical line-up at the team, which saw erstwhile technical director Sam Michael head for McLaren and co-founder Patrick Head step away from the Formula One side of the operation. Mark Gillan now leads the technical side of the operation.
The FW34 also sees the reunion of the multiple championship winning Williams-Renault partnership, as the Grove-based squad switches from its previous Cosworth V8s to the engine that powered Red Bull Racing to the last two titles.
On the driver side, Bruno Senna has replaced Rubens Barrichello, while Pastor Maldonado remains for a second season. Test driver Valtteri Bottas gets an enhanced role that will include some Friday practice running.
Team principal Frank Williams said: “One could say that looking at the Williams F1 Team today we are off to a truly fresh start. We have a new car, new driver line up, new engine and new senior personnel.
“We also have a number of new partners who have joined the team in the past few months. I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome them formally and sincerely wish that they have an enjoyable and, most importantly, a valuable experience with us. The team has had a good winter at the factory and we feel ready and strong for the fight.”
Pastor Maldonado believes a year of experience in Formula 1 will make it easier for him to help push his Williams team down the right development path with its FW34.
The Grove-based outfit is keen to bounce back from its worst ever season in F1, and it hopes revisions to its technical department and a switch to Renault engines can lift its form.
Although Maldonado has only a single campaign under his belt, he is confident that he now has enough knowledge of F1 to help Williams make good progress.
“I have faith in the FW34 and the Renault engine and so have high hopes for the races ahead,” he said. “It will be very important that we develop the car from the start of the season to the end. Now that I have a year’s experience, I can help in that area much more now.”
He added: “We have many new components in the team so we will need to be focussed and work together well so that we may be stronger every day.”
Bruno Senna feels that his contribution to Williams will be more than he has been able to give to his two previous outfits, because he is about to embark on his first pre-season testing campaign.
“I’m very excited to be back in action with the Williams F1 Team in Jerez,” he said. “This is my ever first pre-season testing programme since I started in Formula 1 two years ago.
“I’m really motivated and looking forward to working hard and with everyone in the team. I hope we have a successful month testing and developing the car so we arrive in Melbourne as well prepared as possible.”
Source: Autosport.com
The Williams team are confident of technical stability ahead of start of new Formula One season according to chief operations engineer Mark Gillan. Autosport.com has the full story.
Williams chief operations engineer Mark Gillan is confident that the team has now achieved technical stability after the upheaval of the past year.
Gillan, who was recruited along with chief designer Mike Coughlan and head of aerodynamics Jason Somerville after former technical director Sam Michael tendered his resignation last year, believes that Williams now has the long-term stability to fight its way back up the grid with the new FW34, which was unveiled at Jerez this morning.
“The key word is stability,” Gillan told AUTOSPORT. “You must have good people, but you also need that stability. We have a reasonably new technical management team and that will ensure stability for a period of time.
“We have a huge wealth of experience with people who have been at Williams for a long time and we have bolstered that with key technical recruits in certain areas. That’s something that has continued over the last year.
“It’s a process that never stops, but definitely the improvement is there.”
Gillan paid tribute to the strong design leadership that Coughlan had to bring to the team.
This is reflected both in the recent changes to the team and the new FW34.
“Firstly, we had to deal with the situation of the team and he is a clear, no-nonsense engineer who gives a very clear direction of where he wants to take the team technically,” said Gillan. “That is very welcome from my side.
“And he has given very clear direction in areas of the car to make certain technical innovations.
“Everybody knows where we want to go, there are clear metrics in place to judge how well we are getting there.
“The proof of the pudding is the end of the season in terms of points. We have a clear design brief, a technical direction and a much better process in place.”
Gillan is also hopeful that Williams will be able to improve on its development rate compared to last season.
During last year’s review of the team, it was decided that too many parts were being tried and a new approach has been implemented aimed at making the factory more effective at serving the race team by producing components that deliver a definite advantage.
“I am very happy about the way that things are progressing there,” said Gillan. “We have a very achievable, sensible plan in terms of integration of new components and also the test process before we hit the track in terms of sign-off so that when we get the components they are fit for purpose and ready to go on the car.
“That’s a change of operation compared to last year. We need to prove it out that it works in the heat of battle at the track but it’s looking very positive.”
Frank Williams says the FW34 represents a ‘truly fresh start’ for the team ahead of the 2012 F1 season.
The team unveiled its car – the first to be produced since a major shake-up of its technical staff – in the Jerez pit lane shortly before the start of the first day of pre-season testing.
With co-founder Patrick Head and technical director Sam Michael departing, and Mark Gillan taking over the technical side of the operation, Williams says the team’s new car signified the new shape of his squad.
“One could say that looking at the Williams F1 Team today we are off to a truly fresh start,” Williams said. “We have a new car, new driver line up, new engine and new senior personnel.
“We also have a number of new partners who have joined the team in the past few months. I’d like to take this opportunity to welcome them formally and sincerely wish that they have an enjoyable and, most importantly, a valuable experience with us.
“The team has had a good winter at the factory and we feel ready and strong for the fight.”
Gillan, Williams’s chief operations officer, said that continuous development of the car will be crucial for the team.
“It is imperative that we demonstrate a continuous improvement in our performance and deliver results throughout the season,” Gillan declared.
“The factory has worked extremely hard over the winter to ensure that the car met its design, build and rig test targets.
“We will be working hard with our three exciting young drivers to ensure that we maximise and unlock the full potential of the FW34.”
Source: Autosport.com