Page 1 of 1 Williams Racing were keen to bounce back from the team's worst season in its 40-year history at the start of the 2019 season. For this, the new FW42 was conceived over the winter under the auspices of Paddy Lowe, who had previously designed successful Grand Prix cars for Mercedes-Benz and McLaren.
With most of the technical regulations carried over from the previous season, it was no surprise that the FW42 design was evolutionary in nature. The rules that did change mostly covered the aerodynamics with an eye on making overtaking easier. So the FW42 featured a wider yet simpler front wing and a taller, wider rear wing.
Williams Racing continued their partnership with power unit supplier Mercedes-Benz. Arguably the most potent of all engines, the hybrid V6 was mated to a Williams-built eight-speed automatic gearbox.
What did change was the arrival of seasoned Polish racer Robert Kubica, who finally made his comeback as a full-time Formula 1 driver after his massive rally accident in 2011. He was joined behind the wheel by the hugely talented George Russell, fresh from his 2018 Formula 2 title winning campaign.
Unfortunately, Williams failed to hit the ground running in 2019 as the time had to sit out most of the vital opening test week while awaiting the arrival of the FW42 in the Barcelona paddock. The new Williams finally made it onto the track on the third day of the four-day test. Page 1 of 1
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Williams Racing were keen to bounce back from the team's worst season in its 40-year history at the start of the 2019 season. For this, the new FW42 was conceived over the winter under the auspices of Paddy Lowe, who had previously designed successful Grand Prix cars for Mercedes-Benz and McLaren.