New regulations may benefit Williams

The 2021 Formula One season will see the introduction of several new rules one of the most substantial been the changes to the aerodynamics in particular the changes to the design of floors with the most notable visual change been the reduction in the area of the floor just in front of the rear wheels. They will be required to remove a section of the floor ahead of the rear tyre and will see the use of slots in this region been banned.

The 2020 floors had seen this area used to created additional downforce with very elaborate designs with slots been used in this area to channel the flow of the air around the edge of the floor and towards the diffuser. The changes will also include the diffusers and brake ducts. All these changes are aimed at reducing the downforce that the cars will produce.

The Williams team had taken the opportunity to test a 2021 concept floor in preparation for this season at the final race of the 2020 season in Abu Dhabi. With the new year here the Williams Head of Vehicle Performance Dave Robson has spoken of how he believes the new regulations brought in for the 2021 Formula 1 season could benefit the smaller teams like Williams. Teams like Williams have not had the resources to develop this areas to the same extent as the bigger teams.

When asked what he felt the impact of the new regulations Robson answered: “It is a major change to the floor, particularly that area close to the rear tyre.

“It is an area where we suspect we’re not class leader, let’s say, so hopefully for us it’s less of a hit than some of those other teams.

“I think it is traditionally a very difficult area to understand, particularly how the floor will react to the tyre as it deforms and ages and wears.

“So hopefully it will have quite a big effect for the teams at the sharp end and perhaps less so for us.

“That’s what we’re hoping and hopefully there’s some early indications from the running we did on Friday [in Abu Dhabi] that that might be the case.”

After a 2020 season that, despite not seeing the the team score any points, had seen the FW43 make significant advances over the 2019 FW42. Nicholas Latifi said the team’s comparative improvements in terms of lap times had been “unheard of” in the sport.

Note: Images show 2020 floor (top) and the 2021 floor as run in Friday practice for the 2020 Abu Dhabi GP (Bottom)