Just like some of its rivals, Williams has unveiled its 2011 Formula 1 contender during the first official test session at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain. However, this is not the final version of the car. The team’s technical director Sam Michael has confirmed that the FW33 seen here with interim livery will be given an aero upgrade and fans will get their first glimpse of the car at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix.
Williams revealed that the FW33 is compliant with the latest Formula 1 rules set by the FIA including a 640-kilograms minimum weight and the ban of the double diffuser system, which was controversial in 2009. Among the technical features that have been made known to the public, is the FW33′s 7-speed transmission which is the smallest ever produced by the team.
Williams has also opted for KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) which recovers the kinetic energy present in the waste heat created by the brakes and the exhausts. The energy is then stored in a battery, converted into power and a maximum of 60kw can be used by the driver. Williams claims that the system is worth 0.3 seconds a lap and it gives the driver a better start.
The FW33 which is motivated by a Cosworth 2.4 liter V8 (90 degree angle engine) also has a moveable rear wing where the front part of the wing’s top element can lift until the slot gap is 50mm and it should give the car a higher top speed (15km/h), thanks to lower downforce. This hydraulic-powered system is supposed to make overtaking slightly easier. The car also has a weight distribution that is 46% on the front axle (varies by 0.5%) and it is also shod with Pirelli rubber.
Talking about the tires, the team expressed that the Pirelli tires are quite different compared to the ones supplied previously by Bridgestone. The rubber on the new tires deflects and deforms in a different way and there are different mould lines too. The FW33 will be piloted by Rubens Barrichello and rookie Pastor Maldonado this year.
