(Motorsport-Total.com) – The Williams FW48 had a very difficult development with no less than four failed crash test attempts. The homologation of the chassis by the FIA came very late, so the team from Grove missed the shakedown in Barcelona at the end of January.
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The result was that the car, developed under the leadership of technical director Pat Fry and engineering director Matt Harman, was built with an overweight of 28 kilograms.
The forced break in April was used to develop a “slimming plan” that should enable the FW48 to gain about one second of performance solely through reduced weight.
The diet was to be drastic, and an initial weight reduction should already be visible at the Miami weekend. But saving weight affects many parts of the car and is not only expensive but also time-consuming.
Williams’ ultimate goal is even to get below the regulation minimum weight in order to achieve better balance with additional ballast, which should reduce tire wear.
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After fifth place in the constructors’ championship last year, the team led by James Vowles has so far only scored two world championship points in China with Carlos Sainz, despite having the Mercedes power unit, which is undoubtedly the best on the grid.
The FW48 that will be seen in Miami is the result of the weight reduction in April, but the most important step will be the introduction of a new “B-chassis” during the summer, which must again pass a homologation crash test.
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Albon: Miami upgrade should make Williams “better”
The development phase is therefore likely to extend until the Italian Grand Prix in Monza at the beginning of September. However, Alexander Albon emphasizes that Williams already wants to start closing the gap forward in Miami – at least minimally.
In the podcast The Fast And The Curious he explains: “I don’t want to claim it will be easy, but the car has so much ballast that we have a lot of potential to work our way further forward.” However, he also makes clear that this “won’t happen overnight.”
The 30-year-old reveals: “We have an upgrade package in Miami. It will be better, but it won’t be the best invention since sliced bread. Realistically, we are now refocusing our efforts.”
“It’s about getting back into the midfield fight and then working our way to the top of that fight,” explains Albon, emphasizing that with a new regulation it is quite normal to have a lot of “improvement potential” at the start.
“By the end of the year, we will have a completely different car than what we are currently driving,” he announces. Until then, Williams is likely to face more tough weeks and months.
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