Williams FW20: Difference between revisions
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The '''Williams FW20''' was the car with which the [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]] [[Formula One]] team competed in the [[1998 Formula One World Championship]]. It was driven by [[Jacques Villeneuve]], the reigning champion, and [[Heinz-Harald Frentzen]], who was in his second year with the team. |
The '''Williams FW20''' was the car with which the [[Williams Grand Prix Engineering|Williams]] [[Formula One]] team competed in the [[1998 Formula One World Championship]]. It was driven by [[Jacques Villeneuve]], the reigning champion, and [[Heinz-Harald Frentzen]], who was in his second year with the team. |
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Williams FW20 was also the first Formula One car to carry the #1 and #2 numbers as the reigning world Constructor's title holder from previous season. |
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== Design == |
== Design == |
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Ahead of the season, Williams were adversely affected by the departure of Chief Designer [[Adrian Newey]] to [[McLaren]], and [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]'s withdrawal from F1 as an engine supplier. Newey and Renault had made Williams the dominant team of the early and mid-1990s. Whilst Newey had departed at the end of the 1996 season, he had directly contributed to the championship winning FW19. This made the FW20 the first non-Newey designed car since 1990. Cosmetically the FW20 resembled the FW19 with journalist [[Joe Saward]] noting the FW20 followed the same basic design concept as the FW19 with adaptations made to comply with 1998 regulations.<ref name="grandprix.com"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.f1technical.net/f1db/cars/817/williams-fw20 | title=Williams FW20 - F1technical.net }}</ref> The car was equipped with a [[Mecachrome]]-badged version of what was essentially the previous year's Renault engine. |
Ahead of the season, Williams were adversely affected by the departure of Chief Designer [[Adrian Newey]] to [[McLaren]], and [[Renault in Formula One|Renault]]'s withdrawal from F1 as an engine supplier. Newey and Renault had made Williams the dominant team of the early and mid-1990s. Whilst Newey had departed at the end of the 1996 season, he had directly contributed to the championship winning FW19. This made the FW20 the first non-Newey designed car since 1990. Cosmetically the FW20 resembled the FW19 with journalist [[Joe Saward]] noting the FW20 followed the same basic design concept as the FW19 with adaptations made to comply with 1998 regulations.<ref name="grandprix.com"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.f1technical.net/f1db/cars/817/williams-fw20 | title=Williams FW20 - F1technical.net }}</ref> The car was equipped with a [[Mecachrome]]-badged version of what was essentially the previous year's Renault engine. |
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Revision as of 07:18, 5 May 2025
 The FW20 of Heinz-Harald Frentzen on display at Williams Conference Centre | |||||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Williams | ||||||||||
| Designer(s) | Patrick Head (Technical Director) Gavin Fisher (Chief Designer) Brian O'Roake (Chief Composites Engineer) Mark Tatham (Chief Mechanical Engineer) Geoff Willis (Head of Aerodynamics) Jason Somerville (Principal Aerodynamicist) Nick Alcock (Principal Aerodynamicist) | ||||||||||
| Predecessor | Williams FW19 | ||||||||||
| Successor | Williams FW21 | ||||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon-fibre monocoque | ||||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Williams torsion bar/double wishbone, pushrod | ||||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Williams coil-spring/double wishbone, pushrod | ||||||||||
| Engine | Renault (branded as Mecachrome) GC37/01 V10 (71°) naturally aspirated mid-engine | ||||||||||
| Transmission | Williams 6-speed longitudinal semi-automatic sequential | ||||||||||
| Power | 775 hp (578 kW) @ 15,600 rpm[1] | ||||||||||
| Fuel | Castrol | ||||||||||
| Lubricants | Castrol | ||||||||||
| Tyres | Goodyear | ||||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||||
| Notable entrants | Winfield Williams | ||||||||||
| Notable drivers | 1.  Jacques Villeneuve2.  Heinz-Harald Frentzen | ||||||||||
| Debut | 1998 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| Last event | 1998 Japanese Grand Prix | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||||
The Williams FW20 was the car with which the Williams Formula One team competed in the 1998 Formula One World Championship. It was driven by Jacques Villeneuve, the reigning champion, and Heinz-Harald Frentzen, who was in his second year with the team.
Williams FW20 was also the first Formula One car to carry the #1 and #2 numbers as the reigning world Constructor's title holder from previous season.
Design
Ahead of the season, Williams were adversely affected by the departure of Chief Designer Adrian Newey to McLaren, and Renault's withdrawal from F1 as an engine supplier. Newey and Renault had made Williams the dominant team of the early and mid-1990s. Whilst Newey had departed at the end of the 1996 season, he had directly contributed to the championship winning FW19. This made the FW20 the first non-Newey designed car since 1990. Cosmetically the FW20 resembled the FW19 with journalist Joe Saward noting the FW20 followed the same basic design concept as the FW19 with adaptations made to comply with 1998 regulations.[2][3] The car was equipped with a Mecachrome-badged version of what was essentially the previous year's Renault engine.
In a departure from previous seasons, the white and blue Williams livery was replaced by red car. This was due to main sponsor Rothmans opting to use the space to promote sister brand Winfield.[4][5]
At the car's launch in January, Patrick Head and Geoff Willis admitted that the FW20 was a fairly conservative design but stressed that they were still hopeful of being competitive.[2][6]
Season summary
Williams began testing the FW20 ahead of the launch in January 1998, utilising parts from the new car and previous seasons FW19. A key change between seasons was the introduction of grooved tyres, although Williams remained with supplier Goodyear.[7] At the opening round in Melbourne, Frentzen finished third albeit a lap down on the leading two McLaren's.[8] Overall however, this would be one of the few highlights of the FW20 during 1998.
Villenueve struggled to defend his title with the non-competitive FW20. He scored points at nine Grands Prix with season-high third place finishes at the German Grand Prix and the Hungarian Grand Prix. During practice for the Belgian Grand Prix, he lost control of his car in Eau Rouge corner and crashed backwards into the barrier at approximately 170 mph (270 km/h). Villeneuve was unhurt.[9] With 21 points, he finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship.[10]
For Frentzen, the opening round podium would be his season highlight, scoring points only on six further occasions with a high of fourth place in Belgium. The German driver suffered five consecutive DNF's including two collisions in Monaco with Eddie Irvine at Lowes hairpin, and at Canada where a clash with Michael Schumacher saw him spin and retire.[11][12]
1998 was Williams first season without a win since 1988 and they would finish a distant third behind McLaren and Ferrari in the constructors championship.[13][14][15] At the end of the season, Villeneuve and Frentzen would depart for British American Racing and Jordan Grand Prix respectively.[16]
At the end of the season, Williams new 1999 drivers Ralf Schumacher and Alex Zanardi tested the FW20 at Barcelona, with Schumacher scoring table topping times.[17] The FW20 would also be tested by Juan Pablo Montoya, Tommi Mäkinen and Mick Doohan.[18]
Sponsorship and livery
Williams used 'Winfield' logos, except at the French, British and German Grands Prix, it was replaced with a Winfield kangaroo emblem and a leaping kangaroo. In French, Veltins logo was completely removed.
The Universal Studios and Woody Woodpecker logos was featured on the nose cone in certain Grands Prix. At the Australian Grand Prix, the team promoted the film, Blues Brothers 2000, also featured on the nose cone.
Later use
On December 1999, an FW20 was painted in white livery, fitted with a BMW V10 engine and ran on Bridgestone tyres. The car was test driven by Jörg Müller.
Complete Formula One results
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position)
| Year | Team | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Points | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Williams | Mecachrome V10 | G | AUS | BRA | ARG | SMR | ESP | MON | CAN | FRA | GBR | AUT | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | LUX | JPN | 38 | 3rd | |
| Jacques Villeneuve | 5 | 7 | Ret | 4 | 6 | 5 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 3 | Ret | Ret | 8 | 6 | ||||||
| Heinz-Harald Frentzen | 3 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 8 | Ret | Ret | 15† | Ret | Ret | 9 | 5 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 5 |
References
- ^ "Engine Mecachrome". www.statsf1.com. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
- ^ a b "Williams FW20". www.grandprix.com. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- ^ "Williams FW20 - F1technical.net".
- ^ "Rothmans To Discontinue Sponsorship to Williams Formula One Team". www.sportcal.com. Archived from the original on January 30, 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- ^ "ANALYSIS: Can F1 win it for Winfield? - A roar of red replaces Rothmans' King Size blue as the tobacco giant switches its Formula 1 sponsorship to the Winfield brand. Danny Rogers looks at what may emerge from the pits". Campaignlive.co.uk. Archived from the original on 10 January 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
- ^ "Williams FW20 Launched". crash.net.
- ^ "Barcelona F1 Testing - Williams". crash.net.
- ^ "Rewind: McLaren's 1998 switch sparks controversy". grandprix.com.au.
- ^ Sparling 1999, pp. 74–77.
- ^ Downey 1998, pp. 7, 20, 126.
- ^ "Monaco Grand Prix Review". autosport.com.
- ^ "Canadian Grand Prix Review". autosport.com.
- ^ "Beginning of the end- Williams FW20 #blogpost". Car Throttle. 22 February 2019. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- ^ "Williams 1998". statsf1.com.
- ^ "1998 End of the Year Report". autosport.com.
- ^ "The Revolving Door of Williams". atlasf1.autosport.com. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- ^ "News wrap-up for this week's testing". autosport.com.
- ^ "Formula One testing 1998". unracedf1.com.
Sources
- AUTOCOURSE 1998-99, Henry, Alan (ed.), Hazleton Publishing Ltd. (1998) ISBN 1-874557-43-8
- Downey, Michael, ed. (1998). 1998 Formula One Yearbook: Chronicle of the Grand Prix Year. London, England: Dorling Kindersley. ISBN 0-7894-3754-6 – via Open Library.
- Sparling, Ken (1999). Champion Sport Biographies: Jacques Villeneuve. Toronto, Ontario: Warwick Publishing. ISBN 978-1-894020-57-2 – via Open Library.
External links
Media related to Williams FW20 at Wikimedia Commons
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