The difficulties that became apparent toward the end of the 2005 season, fully emerged in all their magnitude in 2006. Patrick Head first had to solve the major problem of finding a new engine supplier after the termination of the contract with BMW, which preferred to abandon the historic British team to enter Formula 1 directly by taking over Sauber’s shares. The solution came from the English engine manufacturer Cosworth, which offered to supply Williams with the new CA2006 V8, a 2400 cc V8 built specifically according to the new regulatory requirements imposed by the FIA. The British V8 was capable of delivering 755 hp at a maximum speed of 19,000 rpm, as mandated by the regulations, although its lack of reliability would remain its weak point throughout the season. The switch to Cosworth was a fundamental element in the genesis of the FW28. The development of the CA2006 V8 was characterized by an open and convergent philosophy between the two organizations, which proved to be nothing short of positive and productive, as stated by Cosworth CEO Tim Routsis. The new engine was extensively tested as early as November 2005 on a specially modified FW27C, with which more than 7,000 km were covered.
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| WILLIAMS FW28, Nico Rosberg Interlagos, Brazilian GP 2006 |
The new single-seater produced at the Grove factory, in the town of Oxfordshire, England, was the FW28, a car that completely diverged from the latest Williams machines. To begin with, the FW28 was the first Williams to race with a V8 since the FW12 in 1988, as well as the first car of the historic British team to use Bridgestone tires since the FW22 in 2000. The group of engineers, still under the direction of Patrick Head, included Sam Michael, who continued to serve as Technical Director; Jörg Zander, the new Chief Designer coming from Toyota, where he developed the successful TF105; Chief Aerodynamicist Loïc Bigois; and newcomers Clive Cooper and Mark Loasby, serving respectively as Head of Design Composites and Structures, and Head of Design Systems. Despite the loss of direct support from BMW and main sponsor HP, thanks to a new and extensive group of smaller sponsors (Allianz, RBS, FedEx, Reuters, Oris, Hamleys, Budweiser, Petrobras, Castrol, Mobilecast, and Tata Group), the Williams technical team was able to embark on a completely new project, finally an original single-seater after the last Grove-built cars, all dating back to the first BMW-powered Williams of the early 2000s.
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| WILLIAMS FW28, Mark Webber Catalunya-Barcelona, Spanish GP 2006 |
The pursuit of greater aerodynamic efficiency became the fundamental parameter for the design of the new FW28 and was reflected in the refined aerodynamic shapes of the car, especially in the new rear wing with highly elaborate forms aimed at maintaining previous downforce levels while reducing aerodynamic drag. Supporting this strategy was the adoption of a concept featuring high sidepods with deeply sculpted lower sections, allowing for a smoother and more efficient airflow toward the rear of the car. Despite the new restrictions imposed on the front as well, Williams aerodynamicists sought to recover lost downforce by working on the keel and the wing, developing the cascade-style front wing already successfully tested in the final two Grands Prix of 2005. Beginning in 2006, the aerodynamic design team could also benefit from two in-house wind tunnels dedicated entirely to the new car. The switch, motivated by technical reasons, to Bridgestone tires (last used by the team in 2000) required a complete review of the car’s weight distribution and a redesign of the suspension geometry in order to harmonize the FW28’s dynamic characteristics with those of the new tires.
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| WILLIAMS FW28, Nico Rosberg Suzuka, Japanese GP 2006 |
Alongside the new V8 engine, the transmission was redesigned, incorporating the evolution of Williams’ Seamless Shift technology, scheduled to come into operation at the start of the 2006 season. This seven-speed gearbox with continuous torque delivery owed much of its development to the joint validation tests conducted on Cosworth’s test benches in Northampton, demonstrating the depth and solidity of the technical partnership. According to Williams engineers, the new Seamless transmission could provide an advantage of up to 0.4 seconds per lap. The FW28 completed its first laps on Tuesday, January 31, at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia, Spain, after being officially unveiled on the 27th at the team’s headquarters in Grove. The drivers for the 2006 season were Australian Mark Webber, in his second year with the Grove team, and the rookie German, though Finnish by nationality, Nico Rosberg, newly crowned GP2 Series champion. Rosberg’s arrival added a touch of nostalgia, as his father, Keke, had won the 1982 world championship with a Williams powered by a Cosworth V8.
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| WILLIAMS FW28, Nico Rosberg Montecarlo, Monaco GP 2006 |
The FW28 initially appeared competitive at the beginning of the year, when in Bahrain both cars scored points, with Rosberg even setting the fastest lap of the race on his Formula 1 debut. In the second race of the championship, at Sepang in Malaysia, an excellent qualifying performance from the second row was wasted due to engine failures on both cars. From that moment on, the season declined inexorably, with the only exceptions being Australia and Monaco, races in which Webber seemed capable of fighting for a podium finish before retiring on both occasions due to, respectively, a hydraulic failure and an exhaust fire. The season proved highly disappointing for the team: the car struggled with handling issues and, despite the effectiveness of the Cosworth engine, Bridgestone tires, and both drivers, the FW28 showed only brief flashes of potential, repeatedly compromised by poor reliability, an embarrassment for a team proud of its engineering excellence. Williams finished eighth in the Constructors’ Championship, the team’s worst result since its debut season in 1978. Dissatisfied with the reliability issues, Webber left the team at the end of the season to join Red Bull Racing. After the season ended, a B-spec version of the car was assembled to prepare for 2007, following the decision to switch to Toyota engines. During winter testing, the team also experimented with new front wings and other aerodynamic parts that contributed to the development of the new FW29.
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