Formula One update - Williams trying to get back in action
The Williams are finally ready with their Red Bull-like blown rear exhaust layout. Before heading for the British Grand Prix scheduled for this Friday they informed that their final decision of using the exhaust system this Sunday or not will be made after Friday's practice sessions.
After the Red Bull announced about their rear blown diffuser earlier this year all the teams have been indulged in the fight of ‘balance of power’ at the Formula One arena. The factories and research centres of all the teams have been busier than ever before. The engineers of all the teams had been pushing themselves harder than ever before in order to come up with their versions of the system and some of the teams had even been successful to some extent as well.
The Red Bull came up with the blown diffuser on the track at the Turkish Grand Prix where they used it at the practice session on Friday but due to the fact that some more modifications were required in it they refrained to use it on the final race day. However, now they are fully equipped with the system and their car, RB6 is thought to be the fastest and the technically the most advanced car of the season.
Now the British team, Williams have also announced that their version of the system is ready, which they claim is much similar to that of Red Bull. The official confirmation was made by the team on Tuesday. With their confirmation of the system they have become the third team to follow the footsteps of Red Bull, introducing the complete system including the low-exhaust concept and having the engine gases diverted through the double diffuser in order to enhance downforce of the car.
The team’s technical director, Sam Michael said that the team will make the final statistical calculations of the exhaust during the practice sessions to be held on Friday and then they will come up with the final decision whether they should race it on the final day or not.
The team currently stands at seventh place, one place behind Force India, with a total of twenty points. The two Williams drivers, Rubens Barrichello and Nico Hulkenberg stand at eleventh and eighteenth places respectively. Barrichello has had a good season as compared to his teammate and had been able to bag a total of nineteen points so far whereas Hulkenberg has not had a lot of success as he stands with only a single point with half of the season already gone.
All around the season the team had not been able to do very well especially during the first quarter of the season. Till the eighth race of the season, the Canadian Grand Prix the team had hardly been able to grab eight points, of which four were earned at the Australian Grand Prix and two at Spanish while four races of the season went without any points. The team was able to make their standing better in the Constructors’ Standing at the European Grand Prix where they were successful to grab twelve points. It was Barrichello again this time that had been able to deliver these points to the team as he ended at forth place starting from ninth place on the grid. The other Williams driver Hulkenberg had bad luck as he ended the race earlier due to exhaust problem with his car.
Overall, the season had not been a big success for the team. However, now as Barrichello had been able to get momentum as well as the team claiming to have their car improved it is thought that they would be able to end the season better than expected.
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