Williams FW07
The Williams FW07 was the emergency vehicle by Williams Grand Prix Engineering in the Formula 1 season 1979.
Development history and technology
In the history of the Williams FW07 occupies a special place. This vehicle marks a turning point for the British team. The FW07 was not only the first winning car of Williams, but made out of a team, the vehicles built in a modular method, a designer independent formula car. That was attributable to the now sufficient available financial resources and the idea of Patrick Head.
The FW07 was the first ground-effect Williams and had an aluminum monocoque composite construction. The vehicle had a conventional suspension with swing lever up, delta wishbones and inboard very tight spring legs. Although the two side boxes were very broad in order to absorb the cooler for water and oil, the FW07 had overall very elegant.
As engines found the best DFL - Cosworth V8 engines use.
Racing history
Because Williams was very late finished the construction of the new chassis, it was only at the Spanish Grand Prix, the first race of the season in Europe, the racing debut of the FW07. Had Williams 1978 season denied only with a cart, 1979, to Alan Jones Clay Regazzoni as the second driver in the team. The race in Jarama ended after starting positions for 13 Jones and 14 for Regazzoni, with a double failure. The Swiss had to quit the race after 32 laps due to an engine failure and Jones stopped after 54 laps a gearbox failure.
In the third race, the Monaco Grand Prix, it was the first World Championship points for the FW07. Clay Regazzoni took in the final stages of the race due to the leader Jody Scheckter Ferrari 312T4 on and had the South Africans defeated after 78 laps only by 0.44 seconds.
According to a fourth overall place of Alan Jones at the Grand Prix of France the great days of Williams arrived at the Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone. Even in qualifying, the two were quickly FW07. Alan Jones stood by a lap time of 1.11.880, which an average speed of 236.344 km / h corresponded to the pole position. Clay Regazzoni went from fourth place on the grid. Up to 39 round Alan Jones led clearly to the race, but had to retire due to an overheated engine. His team-mate Clay Regazzoni took over by the tip and made sure the first victory for Williams. René Arnoux in the Renault RS10 was second ahead of Jean -Pierre Jarier in Tyrrell 010
There followed a series of victories by Alan Jones, who won the race in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands in a row and also the penultimate competition in Canada was successful.
For winning the World Championships, however, also submitted these successes not because the FW07 debuted late in the season. Jones finished the drivers' world championship in third place, Regazzoni fifth. In the Constructors' title, Williams was beaten only the Scuderia Ferrari.
1980 from the FW07 of FW07B, who was the first world champion car of Williams.
Aurora AFX Formula 1 series
In 1980, Emilio de Villota secured on a FW07 the Appreciation of the Aurora AFX Formula 1 series.