F1Today.nl have a picture of what appears to be a revised version of the Williams FW31’s livery. The car was launched three weeks ago with what Williams dubbed an ‘interim’ colour scheme.
The version shown above is much more similar to the one they used in 2008. But I still the interim one looks better:
One thing – I assume this new picture shows the car with several sponsors missing because the stickers haven’t been put on yet. Phillips and RBS are among the companies whose logos should appear prominently on the 2009 car.
Images (C) F1Today.nl, Williams/LAT
muckymuck
9th February 2009, 16:08
Is that not the 2008 car, only with a 2009 spec front wing? It’s still on grooved tyres, the nose is different, the rear wing is 2008 spec. Even the front wing is a lot less sophisticated than the interim car.
And yes, the interim one is much better looking!
Adrian
9th February 2009, 16:29
I believe you’re right, look at the sidepods too, they feature some aero devices that the FW31 does not have…
Chaz
9th February 2009, 16:18
Lets get some good results in there this year lads…
DC
9th February 2009, 16:39
I was hoping “interim colour scheme” did not mean: “We have no sponsors, so we don’t know what colour to paint the car yet.”
sumedh
9th February 2009, 19:45
LOL ! ! nice one :)
Scott Joslin
9th February 2009, 16:57
I’m not convinced that it is the 2009 car (FW31) The rear wing looks like a 2008 converted to 2009 downforce levels.
However that’s not the point, looks like the Williams livery will be the same as last year – providing it still has RBS backing. But after they just paid out Milions to bafoon managers for record loses, I am sure they can still find the cash to back Williams.
Dan Silver
9th February 2009, 17:02
They key giveaway to proving this as the FW30 is the front suspension layout and mountings if you compare the two pictures.
Dan Silver
9th February 2009, 17:03
“They key giveaway to proving this as the FW30″…and not the FW31.
PJA
9th February 2009, 17:13
The car does appear to be an interim version as it has grooved tyres and possibly an old rear wing. Although the front wing does look more basic I prefer the lower nose.
I must be the only one on here to prefer the blue/white Williams livery of recent seasons to the interim navy blue one.
bialy
9th February 2009, 17:22
Interim car.Not 2009 spec.
Arthur954
9th February 2009, 19:36
The final touch should be chromed wheels. They should ban those plastic wheel covers – that way the wheels could be used for sponsor livery – look at the Repsol orange wheels.
The famous Sunoco Ferrari had wheels with dark yellow on the inside and chrome on the outer rim
danny
9th February 2009, 19:39
2008 car. look at the front suspension geometry.
Damon
9th February 2009, 19:59
I like the old car better.
Alex Cooper
9th February 2009, 20:09
Hmm … I’m scepticle. If there was a Williams FW31 out there (let alone in its as-yet unveiled livery) then why would the team leave it lying around with nothing more than a pit-jack to guard it??
If nothing else, Keith showed photos this time last year of the FW30’s livery so you’d have thought that Williams would have learnt from that.
Toby
9th February 2009, 23:04
But they didn’t learn from the FW29 photos being leaked too, did they?
I think it’s the interim FW30b. ’08 rear wing, more basic ’09 spec front wing, different suspension mountings, airbox intake and driver’s-head-protection-thingy’s.
Interestingly, though, it doesn’t look to be taken at any of the regular testing tracks. The floor of the pit is different from any of the others and there’s no “official” banners that you normally see around the pit garages. Maybe this was taken at Grove and leaked for fun as a jest at previous leaks?
zplol
10th February 2009, 0:51
this is a car they used in their private testing, just look at the size of the airbox, front suspension….
Patrick
10th February 2009, 1:51
Personally I enjoy their offseason blue that has been used for the last few years MUCH better.
But I guess this one is probably more accurate to the number of sponsors the team has lined up. haha.
the limit
10th February 2009, 3:56
As long as its a Williams, I don’t care what colour it is, as long as its not like the Renault.
Smitty
10th February 2009, 8:24
How come you are still debating on whether that car is an interim car or not. It’s clearly the interim car that Williams tested in December. But with a new livery.
The interim livery is still better, though.
Phil
10th February 2009, 21:26
Think you are right Smitty, it looks very much like the interim mule tested at Kemble back in December. There were pictures on the Williams site at the time, since removed, but the nose is almost exactly the same. Lower and less bulbous than the launch car.
GeorgeK
10th February 2009, 17:52
As DC stated I’d prefer to see the car in pink and purple if it was the color of a high profile PAYING sponsor.
I still fear for Williams and Renault surviving the season.