Williams team principal James Vowles has addressed fans of the team and shed light on the state of their floor design following an incident at the Spanish Grand Prix.
The issue came to the forefront when Logan Sargeant crashed early in the FP3 session, resulting in the exposure of the Williams floor.
With the floors of Mercedes and Red Bull already in the spotlight after being unveiled in Monaco, Williams joined the list of teams affected when Sargeant’s car was lifted from the gravel.
This incident gave fans a glimpse of the seemingly simplistic appearance of the Williams floor in comparison to its front-running competitors.
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In the ‘Vowles Verdict’ segment on the Williams F1 website, Vowles provided insights into the situation.
“Photographs of our floor were taken after Logan [Sargeant] went off in FP3, and they have been compared to images of our competitors taken a few weeks ago. However, it’s important to note that these photos can be a bit deceptive,” he explaied
Vowles clarified that he wasn’t making excuses for the relatively basic design of the Williams FW45 floor.
While acknowledging the disparities in floor design, Vowles emphasised that the overall performance of the car is a result of multiple factors working in tandem. The floor’s contribution to generating downforce plays a crucial role, but it is not the sole determining factor.
“Despite that, it is evident that we lack the level of detail compared to our competition,” he said.
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“However, you don’t need to look at the underside of the floor to realize that. It’s evident from our lap times.
“This is primarily due to the balance characteristics, performance, and downforce generated by the car, with a significant contribution coming from the floor.”
As Williams continues its pursuit of performance improvements, the team remains aware of the areas where enhancements can be made. The incident at the Spanish Grand Prix has highlighted the need to addres their floor design, among other aspects of the car, to close the performance gap with their competitors.