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The
Williams-Toyota FW31, the team’s 2009 season race car, made its track debut
at the Algarve Motor Park circuit in southern Portugal this morning at the
first official Formula One test of the year.
After completing 17 laps this morning in the hands of AT&T Williams’ test
driver, Nico Hulkenberg, the team was satisfied with initial progress.
Technical Director, Sam Michael, said, “This morning has been full
wet, but the weather hasn’t really affected what we wanted to do, because
our goal has been to get the car out on track, check all the systems work,
be sure parts aren’t touching each other, nothing is burning, and that’s all
proved to be okay. It would be good to get some dry running, and the weather
should allow this later in the week. In terms of first impressions of the
car, we of course haven’t spent any time on set-up or performance work yet,
that’ll all come later, but so far the car is running fine.”
The Williams-Toyota FW31 is the first major clean-sheet car design for
perhaps 30 years, driven by a wholesale change in Sporting and Technical
Regulations. The new Sporting Regulations are intended to increase car
reliability and further reduce costs, while the changes to the Technical
Regulations have three objectives – reducing the role of aerodynamics in the
car’s performance, making overtaking easier and keeping lap times in check.
These changes have had significant implications both on the appearance of
this season’s race car and in shifting its performance baseline.
Sam Michael reflected, “The changes in the aerodynamic regulations are the
most profound and will have the most impact on lap time. There are many
immediate visual changes, but also many smaller reductions around the car
through new regulation wording and exclusion zones. Starting at the front,
the
front wing end plate design has changed as the interaction with the front
tyre is completely different, and important to control. There are no longer
large barge boards – although we managed to squeeze a small one in. The
engine cover no longer has the traditional chimneys and louvers on top for
cooling, and that has forced a higher and wider exit at the rear in order to
provide an effective exit for hot air. Of course the re-introduction of
slick tyres is another significant change as it has an influence on the
overall dynamics of the race car. Finally, of course, the introduction of
KERS is another aspect to the technical picture for the year ahead.”
Michael went on to explain how the changes in aerodynamic rules, which see a
much reduced rear wing geometry and conversely, a considerably wider front
wing profile, with the front wing flap angle adjustable by the driver in the
cockpit, would be the competitive focus for all the teams for much of
the year ahead. “Aerodynamics is likely to be the key to the first two
thirds of the season ahead,” he said, while rating the change to slick tyres
as another significant rule change for 2009. “Finding the optimum weight
distribution to optimise tyre performance will also be a high priority going
into 2009 and KERS will be the next contributor to race performance. “
Michael confirmed.
The introduction of Kinetic
Energy Recovery Systems (KERS) in 2009 is not an obligatory element of the
regulations, but may provide an opportunity for teams to gain competitive
advantage. The amount of energy that can be recovered and used may increase
in future regulations, but the level set for the technology’s introductory
year, set against considerations of weight and reliability, make the initial
advantages less than gains to be achieved through aerodynamics and
mechanical dynamics.
Sam Michael contextualised this
view, saying, “KERS in 2009 could be worth between 2/10ths and 3/10ths of a
second per lap. However, once aero performance converges, KERS could start
to become a greater performance
differentiator and if the regulations give more scope to the technology, it
could be worth anything up to a second a lap and it will be needed to win
Grands Prix. The key decision for us with our system is to carefully balance
the potential performance advantage with our ambition to improve an already
strong reliability record from last season.” |
