The unexpectedly cool weather conditions at Fuji did the teams no favours in terms of managing brake temperatures. Most were expecting to use relatively large brake cooling ducts, designed for dry-weather running in warmer temperatures. Sunday's rain and cooler temperatures, however, forced them to...
Low ambient temperatures at Spa allowed teams to reduce the standard sidepad cooling vents in order to improve aero efficiency. Williams removed the gills (inset detail) normally located on the FW29s left sidepod, close to the inner face of the venting chimney. This solution improved airflow...
As well as changes to its front wing, the Williams' also has heavily revised rear wing at Monza. It now features a completely flat double profile (red arrow) with a much narrower flap, which has been positioned with a very low incidence angle. This set-up will complement the low-drag configuration...
Williams introduced a revised front wing at last week's Monza test. The wing, which mirrors the one adopted by McLaren at the Spanish race, will probably be retained for the rest of the season. Although this doesn't add much to the car in terms of downforce - not useful at Monza anyway - it does...
For France, a series of curved slits has been added to the FW29's sidepods, just inside the radiator chimneys. However, the change is not primarily cooling-related as you might expect, but aerodynamic. The hot air exiting the slits lowers the air pressure in this area and hence increases the speed...
After intensive testing at Silverstone last week, Williams have introduced a revised front wing at Magny-Cours. The new wing (left) features steeper, less curved upper profiles than the older version (right). They are connected to the nosecone by an almost horizontal link (left arrow) that is bent...
Williams, like most teams, went for a low to medium-downforce set-up at Indy, focussing on performance in the high-speed section of the track. To this end they adopted a new rear wing, with its main profile raised slightly and curved upwards in the middle (blue arrow) relative to the previous...
Williams (like all the teams) have adopted specific aerodynamic devices to cope with Monaco's twists and turns. A double mid-wing (1) has been placed near the base of the onboard camera to improve aero balance and increase the efficiency of the rear wing. The winglet assemblies (2) connected to the...
Like their rivals, Williams introduced a seriously revised aero package in Spain, including a new endplate design on the rear wing. These now look pretty similar to those on the McLaren in terms of profile and assembly. The curved front-lower edge (two lower arrows) is able to free the airflow...
At hot races such as Bahrain and Malaysia, one main challenge is to avoid a progressive increase in brake disc temperature. To make it harder, these tracks have multiple, heavy braking points, with little time to cool the brakes inbetween. To ensure efficient cooling Williams have adopted a...
Sepang's long straights and medium to low-speed corners makes finding a compromise between straight-line speed and downforce difficult. Cars are prone to slide sideways here and you need enough downforce to keep the car on the track. Williams have adopted a high downforce configuration for their...
Williams constantly developed this area last year and the results are seen here. It is crucial to correctly manage airflow at the front of the car. It is where you begin controlling the air that passes to the rear of the car, feeding the rear wing and the under-body diffuser, and the air entering...
The sidepods of the new Williams FW29 (1) have become noticeably narrower towards the bottom. This is to improve aerodynamic efficiency in this area, reduce drag and hence make the rear wing mor effective. As a result, the radiator inlets have been reduced in size and the radiators themselves,...
