Formula One car development blog

Williams started the Abu Dhabi weekend by fitting Pastor Maldonado's FW35 with a non-coanda exhaust configuration, trying to do some testing for 2014 where such an exhaust will be entirely banned. Even though the exhaust positions are not quite what it will have to be in 2014- where a single exhaust pipe in the centre of the car will be mandatory - , the team hoped that be removing the exhaust channel (inset) they would get more consistent readings that are not that much influenced ... Read more

Pastor Maldonado was seen running in the Williams FW35 featuring the stepped nose and front wing of last year's FW34. Williams have lost the direction for its aerodynamic development, and as updates do not bring the expected progress, the team is now checking the efficiency of the car with better known elements, such as the 2012 nose cone and a front wing used late in the 2012 season.

Mike Coughlan, the team's technical director said "We were running different parts across the two c... Read more

As was expected, Williams F1 have today changed their car by introducing a ramp style exhaust slope, similar to what Lotus F1 and Red Bull Racing are running, not coincidentally two teams that are also powered by a Renault Sport F1 engine. Along with the introduction of the new exhaust the team also re-fitted their high nose. It must be seen whether this is now the preferred choice in combination with the ramp exhaust, or if the team will continue to try out its different nose cones... Read more

Williams technical director Mike Coughlan has clearly been looking near the boundaries of the regulations to find ever more performance while designing the FW35. Today at Barcelona the car appeared with open wheel nuts, contrary to the traditional pointy ones as can be seen in the inset.

By using wheel nuts, which are btw integrated into the new Rays magnesium alloy wheels, the team can push air through the hollow wheel axle. This means that part of the air caught by the brake ducts... Read more

Williams and Caterham have created a stir during winter testing as both the Williams FW35 and the earlier launched Caterham CT03 feature elements within the exhaust channels. In both cases, the exhaust tailpipe exits into a channel that is part of the sidepod's aerodynamic shell. The channel is designed in a manner that exhaust gases are curved down towards the car's floor as much as possible. Such exhausts, named Coanda according to the identically named principle that a fluid (in ... Read more