2012 Williams FW34

[James Chant]

New Williams to debut at Jerez test

Williams will unveil their 2012 car, the FW34, at the first pre-season test. The four-day session will get underway at Spain's Jerez circuit on February 7.

The British team endured their worst-ever campaign in 2011, scoring just five points and finishing ninth in the standings. They are targeting a return to form this year with a new engine, courtesy of Renault, and a revised technical team.

In 2012, the FW34 will be raced by Venezuela’s Pastor Maldonando and Bruno Senna, who replaces fellow Brazilian Ruben Barrichello in the team's line-up.

Forumla1.com

 

[S4Sonny]

And here's the car Williams will be competing with for the season.

Not a big fan of the livery, too much navy blue it in for me, would've loved to see more white.

 

[S4Sonny]

 

[Omer Said]

It has a nice livery , but i wished Williams would return to 90s livery..

 

[Chris Cronshaw]

I think we'll see a different car at Aus.

Wiliams always tend to use a very simple livery for testing then release the full painted version at the final test.

 

[cruyff]

That's a very nice car. Better than McLaren?

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Wow that is insane... Just look at how tight the car is at the back. Their engine cover stops half a meter before the actual rear wing

 

[Scott Webber]

 

[Michael Brown]

I like how the drivers sit in the first picture to cover the nose bump .

Also, the 2012 Williams is called the FW34

 

[Hampus Andersson]

the rear end is just so insanely packaged thanks to their ultra-short gearbox.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

That is some thight package.. But not so much different from last year:

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Same gearbox I think the problem is that it´s to wide just after sidepods towards the rear.
If you compare it to the RBR it has very wide sidepods but they shrink drastically which leaves a lot of space between the rear wheel and centerline.

Then there have been talks about if it´s really such a good idea to let the airflow from each side meet at the end instead of making it two paths of airflow until the rear wing.

Cool nonetheless.

 

[GAIAjohan]

Why does the car above have number 18, while the car at the bottom has number 11?

Usually it's 1.2
3,4
5,6
7,8
9,10
11,12
14,15
16,17
18,19
etc

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Why does the car above have number 18, while the car at the bottom has number 11?

Usually it's 1.2
3,4
5,6
7,8
9,10
11,12
14,15
16,17
18,19
etc

Last picture is from 2011... Just comparing the rear end.

 

[GAIAjohan]

 

[Martin Bulgin]

Not a bad Jerez test for Williams, who unlike last year when Rubens Baricello topped the timing sheets didnt go chasing glory times, on Friday Bruno Senna completed about 125 laps including a full race sim in which he set his and Williams fastest time of the week, on the final day only about half a second seperated the car in 2nd to the car in 8th so apart from Ferrari's glory run the cars were pretty even, this has to be a better year for Williams after a terrible year last season but how much better remains to be seen, I am confident that at the least, they will rejoin the midfield battle with Torro Rosso, Sauber, Force India and maybe Caterham will join in as well. Frank said he feels like this is a new begining for his team after the wholesale changes that have been made so to see Williams start on an upward curve again would be great, I cant wait for the season to start.

 

[Martin Bulgin]

About the rear end of FW34 I love the side on profile of it and the curve of the engine cover if you look at it without the fin, the Renault engine allows a much tighter package as well it's not as bulky as the Cosworth.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

engine cover is just amazingly tight at the rear, looks really nice

 

[Martin Bulgin]

The FW34 showed some potential today in qualifying and in testing the race sim pace was very good so I am hoping for a good race from Pastor and Bruno, the new front wing appears to be working really well which makes a nice change from the Sam Michael years where bits where thrown at the cars with no noticable gains, where are the silly people who said Williams would be at the back fighting with Caterham, they dont appear to have closed the gap to the midfield at all.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

I think i´m half guilty as i did not believe Williams to do that good. But i can´t say i expected Caterham to be in the mid-field at all.

Maldo did say it was like a new team now so that is very positive. Engine i´m sure gave them a couple of tenths as well.