British GT News: Williams Unveils Promising Upgrades, but Zandvoort Setback Hampers Progress
In a promising turn of events, the Williams Formula 1 team has unveiled a series of upgrades that have shown significant potential on the track. As boss James Vowles explained, “We’re in a situation where that update is producing good results, and in a very tight midfield, we’re able to put the car back into that Q3 position.”
The team’s revisions, which include a change in the sidepod design and a weight reduction program, have yielded positive results, with Alex Albon securing a spot in Q3 at the Zandvoort circuit. Vowles further elaborated, “That was also mirrored by a long run on Friday that again was positive. It had pulled clear of the midfield, and we were in a situation, in fact, at times, where our long run was overlaying with Ferrari, which is a very different situation to what we’ve been at the beginning the season.”
However, the team’s weekend was marred by a setback on Saturday evening when it was discovered that an error in the team’s own measurements had resulted in the new floor being outside the regulations. While the issue was easily fixable, the team was forced to start both cars at the back of the grid, effectively derailing their chances of a strong result.
“There’s some tiny detail changes on the aero shape around the shrouds and the ducting into the central radiator, but that’s all just chasing the weight out the car. It’s a reasonable amount lighter, which is a good thing. But we’re still a little bit overweight. We’ve got a few more updates coming later in the year, which will hopefully get us right down on the weight limit.”
- Pat Fry, Chief Technical Officer
The Williams team will undoubtedly be eager to see if the early promise shown at Zandvoort can translate into tangible results in the upcoming British GT races. With the team’s focus on aerodynamic improvements and weight reduction, they remain committed to closing the gap to their competitors and fighting for a stronger position in the midfield.
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