Page 1 of 2 Next >> Williams today released the first images of its 2014 challenger: the Williams Mercedes FW36. The FW36 is one of the most technologically advanced Formula One cars produced by Williams. It is the culmination of more than two years research and development by the team's technical departments in Grove and it incorporates the power unit from the team's new partner, Mercedes-Benz.
"There's a lot more technology on the cars this year," says Williams Chief Technical Officer Pat Symonds. "We've had turbo-charged engines in F1 before; what's different this time is that it is much more than just an engine change, it is a completely different system. We've gone from a slightly hybridised normally aspirated engine to a fully integrated hybrid power unit with novel technology at its heart."
To meet the challenges of the new power unit, Williams signed the deal with Mercedes Benz High Performance Powertrains midway through last season. The team received the first CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data for the power unit at the end of May, at which point the detailed design of the FW36 could begin to be finalised.
"This is the first time that Williams has worked with Mercedes in F1 and we've been very impressed," says Symonds. "Their professionalism and commitment have been notable and we're as confident as we can be that the power unit will be competitive."
The design phase of the FW36 was completed by mid-September, by which time the team had found solutions to the major challenges presented by the regulations. Cooling, weight, a new gearbox and aerodynamic changes are just some of the areas of focus.
"Overall the cars will need more cooling this year," says Symonds. "The demands on water and oil cooling may be slightly diminished, but the ERS system is significantly more powerful and hence needs more cooling. We also have to cool the charge air from the turbocharger compressor which requires a substantial intercooler." Page 1 of 2 Next >>
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Williams today released the first images of its 2014 challenger: the Williams Mercedes FW36. The FW36 is one of the most technologically advanced Formula One cars produced by Williams. It is the culmination of more than two years research and development by the team's technical departments in Grove and it incorporates the power unit from the team's new partner, Mercedes-Benz.