After a disastrous 2006 season that ended in eighth place with just 11 points, the worst result for the Williams team since 1978, the FW29 marks the beginning of a modest resurgence, with the obligation to restore stability and points to Grove, in Oxfordshire, England. Behind the new car project is a technical staff undergoing a profound restructuring phase. The team’s historic co-founder, Patrick Head, relinquishes his role as Technical Director in 2007, placing it in the hands of Sam Michael, while now acting as supervisor and quality guarantor. The Australian Michael therefore assumes full responsibility for the new project and, after the failure of the FW28, enforces a more pragmatic and less experimental approach, prioritizing mechanical reliability. Ed Wood is the Chief Designer responsible for the FW29’s shapes. Having joined Williams in 2006 from Prodrive (with previous experience at Ferrari and Renault), Wood brings a breath of fresh air to the design, which is slimmer and more linear, with more elegant and cleaner forms. Jon Tomlinson is the new Chief Aerodynamicist, and his main task, working intensively in the new Grove wind tunnel, is to stop chasing extreme solutions that make the car nervous, focusing instead on the stability of aerodynamic load under varying steering and pitch conditions. Also working at Grove are Clive Cooper (Head of Design – Composites and Structures), Christopher Brawn (Head of Design – Suspension, Steering, Brakes), Mark Loasby (Head of Design – Systems), and Steve Wise (Head of Electronics).
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| WILLIAMS FW29, Nico Rosberg Hungaroring, Hungarian GP 2007 |
The FW29 is a refined evolution of the previous car, but with cleaner aerodynamic concepts, such as the elimination of the keel under the nose, slimmer sidepods thanks to the more compact packaging of the new Toyota engine, and a much more tapered rear end. The most significant technical innovation is the abandonment of the Cosworth engine in favor of the Toyota RVX-07 (the second time in Williams history that one of its single-seaters is powered by a Japanese engine). This is a fundamental strategic move for Williams, which not only gains a more reliable and powerful engine, but also forges an important technical partnership with the Japanese giant, particularly in terms of electronics management. The new engine is paired with a 7-speed semi-automatic sequential gearbox featuring seamless-shift technology, allowing gear changes without lifting off the throttle. The new carbon composite monocoque chassis features push-rod suspension with dampers produced directly by Williams, enabling the new Bridgestone tires to perform at their best despite their stiffer construction compared to the Michelins used by the Grove team in 2006.
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| WILLIAMS FW29, Nico Rosberg Monza, Italian GP 2007 |
The aerodynamics of the FW29 represent a clear change in philosophy compared to the recent past, aiming not only for outright performance but above all for consistency and ease of driving, what drivers describe as a “stable platform.” The front wing features a three-element design with highly curved upper flaps capable of cleaning the airflow directed toward the upper part of the car. The nose is higher and narrower, and above all no longer features a keel, with the suspension arms anchored directly to the sides of the chassis. This allows much cleaner and faster airflow toward the bargeboards and the flat floor, improving the overall efficiency of the rear diffuser. One of the major advantages of the Toyota engine is its compactness and reduced cooling requirements compared to the previous Cosworth. This allows designers to create sidepods that are much more undercut at the bottom and an extremely slim rear end, enabling air to flow unobstructed toward the upper profile of the diffuser and the rear wing, increasing downforce without adding drag. Prominent vertical chimneys are present on the sidepods, integrated with horizontal vents, designed to evacuate hot air without disturbing the airflow toward the rear wing. In some configurations, small fins also appear on the FW29 at the sides of the engine air intake.
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| WILLIAMS FW29, Nico Rosberg Indianapolis, USA GP 2007 |
A technical aspect that is often underestimated is the simplification of systems desired by Sam Michael. After the numerous retirements due to hydraulic failures in 2006, Williams reduces the complexity of certain internal circuits, achieving the remarkable result of having one of the most reliable cars on the grid. This allows the two regular drivers, German Nico Rosberg (son of 1982 World Champion Keke) and Austrian Alex Wurz, to finish the vast majority of races and capitalize on others’ mistakes. The FW29 is unveiled at Grove on February 2, and from the very first laps on track the soundness of the project is evident. In 2007, the Williams technical staff is among the first to invest heavily in driving simulators, pushing engineers to develop proprietary software to predict the car’s behavior even before it hits the track. This enables the FW29 to be “right” from the first winter tests. At the Jerez tests, Wurz completes as many as 72 laps without mechanical issues and sets the second-fastest overall time.
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| WILLIAMS FW29, Nico Rosberg Shanghai, Chinese GP 2007 |
The Williams FW29 certainly represents an improvement over the recent past, consistently fighting for points, although it remains far from the pace of McLaren, Ferrari, and the new BMW Sauber team formed by Williams’ former engine partners. Alexander Wurz has an up-and-down season, securing an unlikely podium at the 2007 Canadian Grand Prix despite a damaged rear wing caused by a collision with Vitantonio Liuzzi, but then delivers an unproductive second half of the season. Rosberg, for his part, proves to be the faster driver, frequently finishing in the points and consistently outperforming Wurz, who suddenly decides to retire from Formula 1 before the final race of the season. Head promotes test driver Kazuki Nakajima to second driver for the Brazilian Grand Prix, where Rosberg achieves an excellent fourth place and the Japanese driver an encouraging tenth. At the end of the season, the Williams team finishes 4th with 33 points, also thanks to McLaren’s exclusion from the standings due to the Spy Story.
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