Formula 1

Williams Racing inspired by Silverstone former glories

Motorsport Technology
30 Jun 2022
4 min read

The Williams Racing F1 team, partnered by Acronis, will be visiting the site of many former glories as the Formula One World Championship moves on to the birth of the series.

It was way back in 1948 that Silverstone first played host to the British Grand Prix, Italian Luigi Villoresi taking the chequered flag for the first time.

And from those early days, only Ferrari and McLaren trump the great Williams Racing team at the home of motorsport, the Grove based outfit bearing the team owner’s name winning in 1979, 1980, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996 and most recently with Jacques Villeneuve in 1997.

One of those previous winners was a darling of the Silverstone fans, Nigel Mansell winning on no fewer than four occasions.  And it was no doubt to the delight of the Goodwood Festival of Speed fans that ‘Our Nige’ turned up to thrill the crowds with a hill climb of the iconic Williams FW14B.

READ ALSO: TECH RUNDOWN OF THE ICONIC WILLIAMS FW14B

This year, the most iconic of high-speed circuits represents almost the same challenge for drivers and teams alike, as Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance explains.

“The Silverstone track is largely unchanged from last year and still presents a huge challenge for the cars, tyres and drivers. The track is characterised by its high-speed corners and regular short straights, and the exposed Silverstone site means that the wind can have a dramatic and often unpredictable effect on the cars.

“We have an updated aero package for this weekend, which will run on Alex’s car only as we look to check its behaviour and confirm that it is working as intended. The bodywork and floor form the basis of the upgrade and are intended to efficiently increase the downforce of the car.”

For Alexander Albon, the British Grand Prix represents something of a home race, the Williams favourite the son of a Thai mother and English father.

“Silverstone is a home race for the team and half for me too! It’s a special circuit made better by all the fans who come out to show their support,” commented Albon in his team’s official press release.

“Silverstone is also where I first got my karting licence at 8 years old, so it’s really where it all began for me. It has to be one of the most enjoyable circuits for a driver and I think it’ll be pretty fun in these cars.”

And for teammate Nicholas Latifi, the British Grand Prix represents another opportunity to showcase his skills on a circuit he also loves.

“I’m very excited to be heading to Silverstone,” added the Canadian driver. “It’s the team’s home race so it’s going to be a special weekend in that regard. Silverstone is an incredible circuit, especially with the huge turnout from the fans and the atmosphere they create.

“It’s always been one of my favourite tracks on the F1 calendar with the high grippy tarmac, high speed and flowing nature of the circuit. I can’t wait to hit the track and hopefully we’ll have a solid weekend.”

TEAM UP WITH ACRONIS

Prominent once again on the nose of the car and on the front wing endplates this season are the team’s official cyber protection partner Acronis. Williams Racing uses Acronis technology to add extra layers of protection to its IT infrastructure, protecting hundreds of servers and endpoint devices.

During the 2021 season and continuing this year, Acronis opened up an exciting #TeamUp Program, giving new and existing service providers the opportunity to support sports partnerships, join the sports ecosystem, attend races and enjoy amazing sports marketing benefits. To find out more, please visit https://www.acronis.com/en-us/lp/msp-sports/

Williams Racing FW44 front wings.
Spanish Grand Prix, Thursday 19th May 2022. Barcelona, Spain.

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