Sam Michael and his technical team expect aerodynamic performance to reach the same levels as 2010, despite there being less aero freedom in the rules.Īerodynamic work started in December 2009, with the mechanical aspects of the FW33 beginning in March 2010. This ‘launch spec’ will be replaced by an aero upgrade at the first race in Bahrain and there will be many others during the course of the year. The car seen at the Valencia test is the first iteration of the FW33. It allowed us to increase the optimisation time spent on each part of the car.” “We’ve improved our way of working by increasing the communication between the mechanical and aerodynamic departments, and that improved our decision making processes. “The design of this year’s car has been pretty smooth,” reveals Micheal. The ban on double diffusers and the F-duct forced the aerodynamicists to seek new downforce solutions KERS had to be incorporated into the layout and the team had to prepare for the arrival of a new tyre supplier, Pirelli, for the first time in five years. New rules, which were only confirmed by the FIA’s World Motorsport Council in June 2010, compelled Williams F1’s technical team to take an innovative approach to its new car. It’s a sentiment shared by technical director Sam Michael. In a recent interview, Rubens Barrichello described this year’s Williams- Cosworth FW33 as “aggressive”.
Īll changes aim to accelerate air flowing under the flaps close to the endplates to boost downforce production close to endplates (thus the inner section of the third flap remains higher than the inner section like the old spec => ) so as to counterside the less downforce produced by the new flaps which by their side offer a cleaner airflow towards the car body behind. Finally the flaps are reshaped having less curvy inner tips (5) and a shorter flap separator (6). The endplate is simpler and lacks both the extra low height outer vertical fence (3) and the triangular horizontal fin at the rear top of the endplate (4). The new one is shorter and features an additional L-shaped element (2). Another change took place to the extension of the endplate horizontal section under the flaps. It is still triple profiled with the main flap to be raised higher close to the endplates and to be half length slotted (1) compared to the fully slotted former design. The new spec is totally new speaking for both the endplates and flaps. The new spec was again tested in Valencia but yet not used in race.
A new lower downforce front wing spec was put under test in Canada but both drivers were forced to abandon it in wet slippery race conditions choosing the higher downforce former spec which ensured better grip.
0 kommentar(er)
