106 replies to this topic

[Gilles4Ever]

Williams launch their FW27 today and end one of the most hotly debated topics in a while who will partner Mark Webber. But to be honest does it really matter in the greater scheme of thing who partners Mark Webber I would exactly call them title contenders, I wouldn't call Mark Webber a title contender either - sorry but that is my opinion and is the opinion of a lot of people. Surely a team like Williams should have at least one driver that is considered to be a championship contender? At least by the majority of people.

Fanatics aside the following drivers are generally considered championship material given the right circumstances: (Please this thread is not about these driver merits it is about Williams lets keep it at that)

Schumacher (both of them)
Barichello
Button
Alonso
Fisichella
Kimi
Montoya
Trulli
OK if I have to DC
Jacques

Thats 11 drivers and we have still not got to a Williams driver. Now there will be some who will say Webber and possibly Heidfeld should be in that list. OK but they still wont make top 8. SURELY A TEAM OF WILLIAMS CALIBER SHOULD HAVE A TOP 8 DRIVER!

Now this is meant to be a top 3 team. There has been almost no speculation on what the car is going to be like there has not been a FW27 thread unlike the MP4-20 thread which started a while before the car was launched. It appears nobody is interested. This is odd considering Williams finished ahead of McLaren in the championship.

Is this what Williams has come to?

What are Frank Williams and Patrick Head doing?

McLaren have the most exciting line up, Williams have most probably the most boring. If Williams are still considered a top 3 team, are their drivers then considered to be top 6? I do not think so!

Or are they playing the game the best of all - no pressure, no speculation they just get left to get on with it, produce a car that is miles ahead of anything else and all of a sudden Mark Webber is right up there with Damon Hill and Nigel Mansell.

[lukywill]

this thread is about the fw27? lol. just remember 1982. test driver keke rosberg ended in the second williams winning the wdc with a inferior car, lole.

what time is the launch?

[jcbc3]

I think you are right in stating that the Williams pairing (whatever it might be) is their weakest for years, and certainly weaker than the other top teams. I would take issue with your list (of course ;) ) but will refrain from going specific as you asked us to.

As you, I'm only mildly impressed by Webbers 'accomplishments', but I WILL give him the benefit of the doubt for a couple of races. Unfortunately he, and his partner, are in a bit of a lose-lose situation. If they do good, it'll be hailed as a great Williams-BMW accomplishment. If they do less good (or bad) the fingers will first be pointed at the drivers. Rightly or wrongly, but that how it goes.

IF Webber does ok, AND they land Button next year, their driver pairing and schemes might be seen as being top notch though.

[asterix]

given a great car MW can take on the best of them .......

bring on that radical front wing ..... (err .... oops ... that was last year.....)

can the walrus make a revised return?

[Thunder]

Originally posted by Gilles4Ever

What are Frank Williams and Patrick Head doing?

They know for sure what they do. What make you believe you know better than them?

Webber is way faster than Pizzonia who according to them is as fast as JPM and as it seems he is also way faster than Heidfeld, who has beaten Kimi Raikkonen, the genetically better. Why do you think it was a bad decision?

[SchuOz]

Apparently the launch is at 11.30am CET.....so 45 mins from the time i post this.

[baddog]

While Ive nothing against webber, and I hope he IS the deal, its worrying to think Williams might be starting 2005 with the jaguar 2003 lineup. I dont recall a lot of people that year making noises about how jealous they were of jaguar and Williams are well... williams.

Shaun

[asterix]

on paper i think their options for driver line up are weak ..... but a great car and a motivated team make a difference ..... look at BAR .....

webber and button are comparable ......

it will be NH ...... because of the extra pressure and unknown quantity to Webber .... otherwise ill run nude around Albert Park

[jcbc3]

First picture from www.bmw-williamsf1.com

[zac510]

Some people think you're only a top driver if you've driven for a top team.

Can't wait to see the new car

[SchuOz]

Originally posted by jcbc3
First picture from www.bmw-williamsf1.com

That pic is from last year, its been on the site for a few days.
Also, there is no RBS sponsor on the back wall ;)

[jcbc3]

Sometimes you can be too fast on the keyboard. I'll leave it up anyway. I had a laugh.

[lukywill]

is that a surfing board on the right?

[jcbc3]

Then it would have a propensity for turning left, IMO.

[neeob]

http://www.bild.t-on...neuen__bmw.html

[intweb2001]

Ho-Hum - quite dissapointing :

[A Wheel Nut]

This car will win 5 races, score 11 podiums and 6 pole positions.

[A Wheel Nut]

Originally posted by intweb2001
Ho-Hum - quite dissapointing :

Oh yeah, so disappointing, it doesn't have a .... what exactly?

[intweb2001]

Didn't mean to offend you 'a wheel nut'.

I suspect after the FW26 fluffed their tusks, Williams have played it safe.
Just not really a revolution, more an evolution.

[Gilles4Ever]

. . . the big thingy on the side where the number goes.

[zac510]

I think it looks good. The nose is quite high, lots of room under there behind the wing. Makes sense when the wing itself has been lifted by regulation.

[A Wheel Nut]

Originally posted by intweb2001
Didn't mean to offend you 'a wheel nut'.

I suspect after the FW26 fluffed their tusks, Williams have played it safe.
Just not really a revolution, more an evolution.

No offence taken whatsoever, I just can't understand how the car is a disappoint on what was probably the first lap of its existance.

[intweb2001]

Ahh, gotcha.

The look of it was more of a dissapointment, personal view of course and if it wins every race (or even half the races) it'll be the best.

But compared to the Mclaren, Sauber and BAR it's not as feisty looking as I'd hoped!

[daishi255]

Originally posted by A Wheel Nut
No offence taken whatsoever, I just can't understand how the car is a disappoint on what was probably the first lap of its existance.

and from just 1 picture

[Al.]

Originally posted by neeob

Is this it, have Williams already run it. I assumed this was an interim car that they've been testing?

[A Wheel Nut]

Originally posted by daishi255


and from just 1 picture

A distant one at that! Void of detail!

Geez, some people are hard to please! Anyone would think an F1 team need produce a car with bright pink neons, 20 inch rims, irrelevant body stickers and big wings, oh wait, they already have those!

And you can't forget the all white leather interior and pumping stereo system!

[confucius]

Originally posted by Confucius
It seems that with almost every single car roll-out, there are always people that will cry "nothing special!" or "looks the same as last year!"

Well from the 5 or so pics I've seen of the new Renault, the car has a very low-dipping front wing, incredible looking shark gills, very different exhaust to other teams, a much pointier nose a la Mp4-19. Just look at the birds-eye view of the car! What is it that people want to see before a car is "special"? 6 wheels? Two air boxes?

This is what I wrote in the Renault thread. Seems like the trend continues.

[intweb2001]

I'm not damning it - please, it's just my first opinion, I felt the same way with the tusks, then they grew on me!

It's just my opinion, you don't have to agree, I thought these forums were about sharing opinions!

[asterix]

its tease, tease, tease .......;)

[confucius]

Hehe my first thoughts were 'Funky front wing!' and 'Ooh look at the sidepods'

[modena]

Originally posted by intweb2001
Didn't mean to offend you 'a wheel nut'.

I suspect after the FW26 fluffed their tusks, Williams have played it safe.
Just not really a revolution, more an evolution.

ferrari have dominated by evolution . . . . . . this could be the dogs bollicks . . . . . .

[SennasCat]

Originally posted by confucius
Hehe my first thoughts were 'Funky front wing!' and 'Ooh look at the sidepods'

Absolutely my thoughts...

As posted above, what will it take for you guys to be impressed??

[Ice T]

Our beloved sister site and new corporate overlords have some photos of the car:

http://www.autosport...sp?id=41714&s=5

Click on "View Photo Gallery for the new Williams-BMW FW27" at the bottom.

[intweb2001]

Opening wings, like in Chitty, chitty bang-bang!!!

and a flashing red light, like KITT from Knight Rider - Ooooh and a Bond style James Bond seat, that'll speed up the exit time in crashes!!!

Seriously though, something special, the BAR looks nice, as does the Mclaren, the Renault was a dissapointment due to it's similarity to last years car.

I think a new Launch was always an exciting time, nowadays it's stunted somewhat due to the evolution theme, rather than revolution.

@ MODENA,

Ferrari have dominated by evolution, but you need stability to evolve. Stability at EVERY level, drivers, car, designers, infrastructure. Ferrari have been locked with the same team for nine years now and that has helped. Williams have no personnel stability at driver or design level and that has been the case for a few years now.

[FredF1]

Stupid question alert.

Is there any reason why the exhaust chimneys are pointing outwards? Is this due to the new regulations concerning the lower mounted rear wing?

[A Wheel Nut]

I would if I could actually access Autosport..

[Ice T]

Originally posted by Steve Williams


Absolutely my thoughts...

As posted above, what will it take for you guys to be impressed??

I actually like the car. Simple, elegant, nice paint job. It's got BAR007-like front wing.

According to Autosport, they ran it "in secret" yesterday at Valencia.

[Tomecek]

Originally posted by A Wheel Nut
This car will win 5 races, score 11 podiums and 6 pole positions.

Would you be more accurate please?

[A Wheel Nut]

Originally posted by Tomecek
Would you be more accurate please?

Well in Australia Mark Webber will qualify ..........

[Fire_Bro]

http://f1.racing-liv...s/diapo_102.jpg

[Sakae]

Pretty decent looking contender. Nothing like last year.

[A Wheel Nut]

Those exhaust outlets are interesting. I expect to see the knives protruding from the wheel centers by Melbourne race day.

[Al.]

Originally posted by FredF1
Stupid question alert.

Is there any reason why the exhaust chimneys are pointing outwards? Is this due to the new regulations concerning the lower mounted rear wing?

I thnk to direct the hot disturbed air (from the rads) away from the rear wing.

[WDC]

Nick Heidfeld gets the 2nd seat

[Gilles4Ever]

It appears to have wings on the "inside" of the chimneys looks interesting

http://www.autosport...e2_Image_77.JPG
http://www.autosport...e3_Image_77.JPG

[A Wheel Nut]

Originally posted by WDC
Nick Heidfeld gets the 2nd seat

That is so 90 minutes ago.


;)

[Romulus]

The nose reminds me of the Arrows A23.



Looks like Sergio Rinlands ideas still work.

[Fire_Bro]

Well, the height of the nose it reminds me the...

F399

[roadie]

I've just noticed that they have adopted last seasons Renault midwings this year!

I will post more about the car when we get some decent high res pictures.

[roadie]

Also the rwep's have some very interesting slots shaping to them. Notice the vertical slot diving the rwep's in two?