FW35

The team retains Pastor Maldonado for 2013 but he is joined by 2011 GP3 Champion and longstanding Williams Test driver Valtteri Bottas. The FW35 remains Renault powered meaning the team can build on the relationship formed in 2012. Changes within top management saw Executive Director Toto Wolff leave whilst Claire Williams, Frank Williams’ daughter, is appointed Deputy Team Principal and takes control of the day-to-day running of the team. The car has a fully incorporated Coanda exhaust with similar rear body work to that of the 2012 Champions, Red Bull. This however doesn’t work as desired in the early part of the season with handling being sporadic and difficult. Another mid-season overhaul of management saw Mike Coughlan depart and make way for Pat Symonds, formally of Benetton/Renault, in the role of Technical Chief. A strong showing in a wet Canadian qualifying saw Bottas qualify 3rd whilst Maldonado failed to repeat his victory in Spain from 2012. An abandoned blown exhaust towards the end of the season resulted in a change or form as Bottas scored his first ever points in an impressive 8th position at Austin, USA.

Maldonado announced he was to leave at the end of the season and would be replaced by Ferrari’s Felipe Massa, bringing with him a bag or experience and a calm head under pressure. More changes ring out through the team with Dave Wheater coming in as Head of Aerodynamic Performance, Shaun Whitehead as Head of Aerodynamic Process, Jakob Andreasen as Head of Engineering Operations, Craig Wilson as Head of Vehicle Dynamics and Rod Nelson as Chief Test & Support Engineer.

Season Highlight

Bottas’ third position in Qualifying in Canada was a close runner up, but qualifying 9th and finishing 8th in Austin, USA to score his first World Championship points showed the progress he had made in his debut season.

Fun Fact

Williams has won 64 races with Renault power – more than with any other engine manufacturer.