Williams bringing extensive FW33 update to Turkey

2011 Turkish Grand Prix

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Pastor Maldonado, Williams, Shanghai, 2011

Williams are bringing a substantial aerodynamic update package for the FW33 to this weekend’s race.

Technical director Sam Michael said: “We’re bringing a number of upgrades to the FW33 over the next few races, starting with Istanbul.

“The package for Turkey will include new brake ducts, revised front wing and rear wings, plus some other secondary items. Combined, these components should give the FW33 a decent step-up in performance. Our objective is to get the car into the points as soon as possible.”

The team will not use the new exhaust system it tested in Shanghai. A revised version is planned for introduction at the Spanish Grand Prix.

Rubens Barrichello says he wants “a more competitive weekend with the team than we have had so far this season” in Istanbul.

Williams are yet to score a point in 2011 and today announced an overhaul of their technical department including the departure of Sam Michael and Jon Tomlinson as well as the hiring of Mike Coughlan.

2011 Turkish Grand Prix

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    Keith Collantine
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    12 comments on “Williams bringing extensive FW33 update to Turkey”

    1. Good to hear they’re upgrading other areas. No point in having that gearbox if you can’t get the airflow to it.

      1. I think we wait and see how many teams copy that gearbox next year. If Williams can get the aero maximised around it, a lot of teams may be playing catch come 2012.

      2. Exactly. I’m still confident it’s a good idea but they just can’t use it properly.

        I hope they get their act together, it’s sad to see them doing so badly! However…nice to see Lotus finish where they did in China.

      3. Looked like Williams is still working on getting the aero from the front working. Seems they were in trouble there all since the walrus nose.

        1. Looked like Williams is still working on getting the aero from the front working. Seems they were in trouble there all since the walrus nose.

          It seems Williams has constantly been in trouble since then and not just with the nose of the car. I fear their loss of BMW to Sauber in 06 may have been the beginning of the end for Williams.

          Perhaps it is also this new gearbox that is hurting them and in developing it they have gone done a blind alley as it were. I’m no aerodynamicist, but something is clearly very wrong with that car.

          I really hope they can turn it all around.

    2. Everyone has an upgrade planned – Virgin, Force India, Ferrari, Fernandes; just about everyone except Toro Rosso … so it’s nothing really that special, to be honest. I’d say the staff reshuffling will have a bigger effect on Williams’ movement through the field than their new aero package will.

      1. Maybe they will bring something along as well, just for the fun of it :-)

        1. I’d like to see that, I beleive we have not yet seen the full potential of Toro Rosso’s unique design this year.

    3. Extensive substantial aerodynamic update package….

      Hooray.

    4. They need every bit of upgrade they can find. Right now, anything will work. If they don’t sort themselves out, they risk not scoring points this season

    5. Bit of an odd time to announce this extensive update. Maybe its a way of downplaying its impact

    6. cristoacevedo
      4th May 2011, 3:31

      the Extensive substantial aerodynamic update package includes:
      mike coughlan, new photosmart printers, spy pen, spy cameras among other stuff necessary to improve their actual performance…

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