At the end of 1969, Frank Williams Racing Cars entered the Formula 1 World Championship using cars built by other manufacturers such as Brabham, March, and De Tomaso. In 1973, the team ran an ISO Rivolta FX3B powered by the classic Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engine, and in 1974, the same car was first renamed Williams FW01 and later FW02 and FW03, indicating the chassis number used during the season rather than the model. It was only in 1975 that the first car built in-house by the English team, Frank Williams Racing Cars, was born: the Williams FW04.
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| WILLIAMS FW04, Jacques Laffite Dijon-Prenois, Swiss GP 1975 |
The FW04 was designed by former McLaren engineer Ray Stokoe. It featured an aluminum monocoque chassis housing the classic 3-liter Ford Cosworth DFV V8 engine, managed by a five-speed Hewland FG 400 manual gearbox. Although it used the suspension and braking system from the old FW03, the new single-seater was considerably narrower and more streamlined than its predecessor but suffered from excessive body roll. The radiators and fuel tanks were positioned laterally in an attempt to improve aerodynamics and handling. A key development for the Williams team this season was the arrival of young engineer Patrick Head, who would become one of the driving forces behind the squad in the years to come.
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| WILLIAMS FW04, Jacques Laffite Zeltweg, Austria GP 1975 |
The new FW04 also struggled with overheating issues, as well as problems with the fuel system. Both aspects were quickly revised by the young Head, significantly improving the car's performance. After the team ran the first three races of the season with the old FW03, the new FW04 debuted at the Spanish Grand Prix, with a single unit assigned to Italian driver Arturo Merzario and later to Jacques Laffite. Williams operated on a very limited budget, sometimes having to purchase used tires and spare parts from other teams.
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| WILLIAMS FW04, Jacques Laffite Paul Ricard, French GP 1975 |
Throughout the season, the team's second car, an old FW03, was entrusted to various pay drivers on occasional contracts. Only in the final race of the championship was a second FW04 fielded, driven by Italian Lella Lombardi, though she failed to qualify. The only notable result of the season was a surprising and somewhat fortunate second-place finish by Jacques Laffite at the German Grand Prix, earning the team six points in the Constructors' Championship.
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