The Development of the FW26

[Led ZeppF1]

Unlike the predecessor, Williams FW26 don't seem to have recovered since they had their pants pulled down in Melbourne. Development seems to have stalled. Williams' situation doesn't look good.

But Sam Michael, the new Williams Technical Director, claim that he has a clear concept of which components of FW26 need improvement. While Mario Theissen believes that the team can still turn their season around. The first steps will be improvements for the FW26 for the French Grand Prix.

Ralf Schumacher, after a week testing out several new technical developments in Silverstone and Monza, believes the team can hit peak form.

So, there is a chance for Williams to "turn their season around" like last year?

[Super Tourer]

There's always a chance, but this season is looking like a repeat of the last one.

Patrick Head made it clear that they comprimised their 2003 season by 'failing to understand the car early enough' or something similar, and damn me they've done the same this year! it's very difficult to win a championship on half a season.

Williams need to do a bit of head scratching (as do McLaren), not only regarding the actual design of the car, but the apparent shortcomings in the organisation that led them to both make the 'same mistake' 2 years running.

I am sure that process is underway, we have seen some of the staff shuffling in both organisations already.

As a side issue I wonder if over reliance on wind tunnel data is the cause. In recent years McLaren and Jaguar have both put cars on the track that delivered great wind tunnel data, but poor on track performance.

Sir FW alluded to the benefits of a test track recently and the fact that planning permission in the UK prevents them from building one, which begs the question why either Williams or McLaren didn't buy BHL recently, when they could have bought all the UK circuits for less than the cost of another wind tunnel.

Anyway, Ferrai continue to do something right, whilst the rivals teams are struggling, we know they all have more or less the same budget, each has their 'star' technical team so one factor must be that Ferrari come up with a new part wander down to the test track, nail it on the car and try it.

[Adam43]

In some ways I think this season started slightly better than last, but the improvement has been less. IMO.

With the way the calendar is Williams need to hit form now and the summer break won't help. Neither will these fly away races. Development gets frozen on the actual race cars (to a certain extent) until they return.

[esorniloc]

No I don't think this car is any good. Its too late to fix the FW26 for this year anyway they have no chance at either title. They may as well finish 4th (what does it matter to them if they are 4th or 2nd? - its still loosing) and start to fully develop the FW27 for 05.

[Super Tourer]

Which direction will they take with the FW27 I wonder?

They went 'radical' with the FW26 to take the fight to Ferrari and thus far it hasn't worked, does this mean they need a big step up for 2005, or see what developments to the FW26 bring, and then build an evolution of that car?

OT - but BAR look in good shape for 2005, the car works well on different circuit types, and the team can do a 'Ferrari' and build an evolution of an already good car.

[Super Tourer]

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
In some ways I think this season started slightly better than last, but the improvement has been less. IMO.

Did I hear Berger quoted as saying something similar, in that the FW26 is just lacking overall speed, whereas the FW25 was just slow to unlock, as it were.

[grumpy1]

Consider the following
Neither starting driver will be there next year.JPM announced before the AGP he was going to Mclaren and Ralf was Ralf.
There was also rumours of staff movements and changes which have now been announced.
With the above makes for a unsteady team.
These and the upcoming announcements of driver signings for next year will see mimimal improvement this year.Once the 2 new drivers begin testing watch for a marked improvement.Unfortunatly we have to wait for 05 for a real assualt with two very determind drivers with 3 year contracts.

The Grumpy1

[f1atic]

I think they got off to a good start. Better than last year, but there are some problems in the organization if you ask me. Both drivers leaving has to have something stirring in the garage and in R&D.

A very uncertain future will not help Williams get it together, no matter how much they want to win. Focus and concentration are being affected. Developing this car is not going as it should and certainly not like last year's car.

[climb]

Originally posted by AdamAshmore
In some ways I think this season started slightly better than last, but the improvement has been less. IMO.

Less?
I'd say that improvement this year has been zero, if not negative!
FW seemed much more competitive at the beginning of the season, whereas in the las few races they both showed performance and reliability problems that actually prevented them to even hope for a podium.
Fo instance JPM's latest race was affected byt that accident at the start, but afterwards he was unable to seriously recover.

[Led ZeppF1]

The development was zero or stall, maybe. But, certainly not negative.

Its seem that FW less competitive in the last three or four races because the rivals, like BAR and Renault, have better improvement.

[climb]

Led ZeppF1, not negative in absolute, but stalling while others move forward is like getting back.

[Led ZeppF1]

Yup. There were some comments from Ralf who said, as far as I remembered, that development had in fact all but stalled after the inital launch.

[Knowlesy]

Have to agree with climb....Williams have gone backwards relative to everyone else. They started off better than last year and have slid down the order a little.

Montoya said recently (I think in Autosport or F1 Racing) that development of FW26 had practically stopped, the car isn't improving at all.

What a shame........return to single keel for next year Mr Sam Michael?

[Kicking-back]

Not necessarily a single keel, but I don't think we'll see that nose again.

[Knowlesy]

Definitely not.

[Led ZeppF1]

FW26 dominate qualifying in Canada.Ralf and JPM was 1-2 in first qualifying, and 1-4 in second qualifying.

I know, its to early to make a judgement. But, IMHO, Williams had shown a sign that they make improvement and ready to recovered.

Tomorrow we will have better views.

[RWC]

This years williams is not 'improperly understood' as some are implying.
last years car had a straightforward problem that ,once they understood it,really made a difference.
They have said themselves this years car has no faults-it's just not good enough all round.
BMW though have admitted to not having that fastest motor anymore though!

[Led ZeppF1]

Well, Williams will have an updated car. According to Sir Frank, this will come in France or Britain.

I hope its will work.

http://www.planet-f1.com/news/story_16089.shtml

[Gt_R]

The most worrying thing for Williams is that the team said "we have nothing wrong with the car"..

Because if say, a team is performing badly, like Mclaren knowing their engine is screwed... at least they know where they can gain performance.

Now Williams had reached a stage where they have to squeeze everybit of their car's potential, and that is where it'd be hard.

Anyway, one question "Does the FW26 have a smaller developement window/range?", Has the current car almost hit it's developement limits?

I do hope the FW26 does improve in the later part of the year. It must have been disappointing, the pre-season looks set for a very close fight..yet strangely the Williams car just fell way short of expectations.

But i don't buy the reason that BMW is anywhere off the top group of motors...Sure it may see close rivals in Toyota for engine power, it may see Renault be more fuel efficient..it may see Ferrari be more reliable..or it may even be matched by Honda in drivability.. but overall, as a package, BMW engine should still be one of the top 3 motors around.

[Sodemo]

I wonder what improvements are in line for the French GP?

[Glen]

Frank's assessment:

"...we're trying to be sufficiently quick around the parts that matter. That is to say around the corners."

OK.

[Kicking-back]

[Sodemo]

Im guessing they are needing some kind of front-end improvement, as the drivers are nearly always complaing of understeer, even in the old FW25.
Maybe its a new wing/nose section>?

[Led ZeppF1]

GP2003.com reports that Williams will introducing an updated version of their FW26 at the French GP.

According to this F1's news site, the modified FW26 is new from the steering wheel backwards with revised sidepods and engine cover, smaller radiators, a new undertray, new diffusor, intake system and exhaust.

But, as the updated version has to pass a new side crash test it is too late to take it to the test track this week.

http://www.gp2003.com/news/news.php?...th=6&year=2004

[avsfan733]

Originally posted by grumpy1
Once the 2 new drivers begin testing watch for a marked improvement.Unfortunatly we have to wait for 05 for a real assualt with two very determind drivers with 3 year contracts.

They still pay Button from his 5 year contract...