Williams FW07

Williams FW07

Category	Formula One
Constructor	Williams Grand Prix Engineering
Designer(s)	Patrick Head & Neil Oatley
Predecessor	FW06
Successor	FW08
Technical specifications
Chassis	Aluminium monocoque
Suspension (front)	Lower wishbones and inboard springs
Suspension (rear)	Lower wishbones and inboard springs
Engine	Ford-Cosworth DFV 2993cc V8 naturally aspirated mid-mounted
Transmission	Hewland 5-speed manual
Fuel	Lucas
Tyres	Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrants	Williams
Notable drivers	Alan Jones, Clay Regazzoni, Carlos Reutemann, Desiré Wilson, Kevin Cogan, Rupert Keegan, Emilio de Villota
Debut	1979 Argentine Grand Prix
Races Wins Poles Fastest laps 43 15 8 15
Constructors' Championships	2 (1980 & 1981)
Drivers' Championships	1 (Alan Jones, 1980)

The Williams FW07 was a ground effect Formula One racing car designed by Patrick Head for the 1979 F1 season. It was closely based on the Lotus 79, even being developed in the same wind tunnel at Imperial College London. Some observers, among them Lotus aerodynamicist Peter Wright felt the FW07 was little more than a re-engineered Lotus 79. The car was small and simple and extremely light, powered by the ubiquitous Ford Cosworth DFV. It had very clean lines and seemed to be a strong challenger for the new season, but early reliability problems halted any serious threat for the title. While not the first to use ground effects in Formula One, an honor belonging to Colin Chapman and the Lotus 78 (the 79's predecessor), Head may have had a better grasp of the principles than even Chapman.

The car made its debut partway through the 1979 season, and served to make Team Williams a contender for perhaps the first time. It was driven by Alan Jones and Clay Regazzoni, who took Williams' first win in that year's British Grand Prix, before Jones stepped up and won 4 of the next 5 races with the nimble car. Although they lost out to Ferrari in 1979, Williams had established themselves as the team to beat for 1980.

The Williams FW07 (1979).

The Williams FW07B (1980).

The FW07 became FW07B in 1980, and Regazzoni was replaced by the enigmatic Carlos Reutemann, and while he and Jones formed a successful partnership, they were not comfortable with each other. Both drivers developed the FW07 further, working especially on setup and suspension strengthening. The car was now so efficient in creating ground effect the front wings were unnecessary. The development worked well. Jones won five races in Argentina, France, Britain, Canada and the USA to win his only world championship, while Reutemann won at a wet Monaco. Williams' main challenge came from Nelson Piquet in Brabham's neat BT49, but while Jones won the drivers' championship, Williams won their first constructors' championship.

The FW07B evolved into the FW07C for 1981, and this time it was Reutemann who challenged Piquet for the championship, narrowly missing out in the final race, but Williams took home the constructors' championship after four more wins. Further work was done to the suspension, especially after the FIA banned the moveable skirts needed for effective ground effect. The hydraulic suspension systems were developed by Jones, who hated the rock hard suspension. During a winter test session he suggested to Frank Williams to "put suspension on the seat", to which Williams replied he should sit on his wallet. 'Yeah,' drawled the tough Aussie. 'then give me something to put in it!' Jones temporarily left Formula One because of the extremely unpleasant ride the FW07C gave, he later described driving the car as "wrecking the internals".

The FW07D was an experimental six-wheeled test car (4 driven rear wheels, and 2 non-driven front wheels) that was tested by Alan Jones on one single occasion. With the FW07D proving the concept, its unique design was incorporated into the six-wheeled FW08B.

After Jones retired, Williams took on Keke Rosberg in 1982, and his mercurial driving seemed to suit the FW07, which although it was now 3 years old, was still competitive. After 15 wins, 300 points, one drivers' and two constructors titles the FW07 was replaced by the similarly engineered FW08 from early 1982.

Complete Formula One World Championship results

Works team entries

(key) (results in bold indicate pole position) (results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	Drivers	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	Points	WCC
1979	FW07	Ford Cosworth DFV	G		ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	ESP	BEL	MON	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	USA		75*	2nd
				Alan Jones					Ret	Ret	Ret	4	Ret	1	1	1	9	1	Ret
				Clay Regazzoni					Ret	Ret	2	6	1	2	5	Ret	3	3	Ret
1980	FW07 FW07B	Ford Cosworth DFV	G		ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	BEL	MON	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	USA			120	1st
				Alan Jones	1	3	Ret	Ret	2	Ret	1	1	3	2	11	2	1	1
				Carlos Reutemann	Ret	Ret	5	Ret	3	1	6	3	2	3	4	3	2	2
1981	FW07C	Ford Cosworth DFV	G		USW	BRA	ARG	SMR	BEL	MON	ESP	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	CPL		95	1st
				Alan Jones	1	2	4	12	Ret	2	7	17	Ret	11	4	3	2	Ret	1
				Carlos Reutemann	2	1	2	3	1	Ret	4	10	2	Ret	5	Ret	3	10	8
1982	FW07D	Ford Cosworth DFV	G		RSA	BRA	USW	SMR	BEL	MON	DET	CAN	NED	GBR	FRA	GER	AUT	SUI	ITA	CPL	58*	4th
				Carlos Reutemann	2	Ret
				Keke Rosberg	5	DSQ	2
				Mario Andretti			Ret

* 4 points in 1979 scored using the FW06
* 44 points in 1982 scored using the FW08

Non-works entries

(key) (Results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap.)

Year	Entrant	Chassis	Engine	Tyres	Driver	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
1980						ARG	BRA	RSA	USW	BEL	MON	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	USA
	Brands Hatch Racing	FW07	Ford Cosworth DFV	G	Desiré Wilson								DNQ
	RAM / Penthouse Rizla Racing	FW07, FW07B	Ford Cosworth DFV	G	Rupert Keegan								11	DNQ	15	DNQ	11	DNQ	9
	RAM / Rainbow Jeans Racing	FW07B	Ford Cosworth DFV	G	Kevin Cogan													DNQ
	RAM Theodore / Rainbow Jeans Racing	FW07B	Ford Cosworth DFV	G	Geoff Lees														DNQ
1981						USW	BRA	ARG	SMR	BEL	MON	ESP	FRA	GBR	GER	AUT	NED	ITA	CAN	CPL
	Equipe Banco Occidental	FW07	Ford Cosworth DFV	M	Emilio de Villota							EX

See also

• Lotus 79
• Brabham BT49