Williams would either have to compromise weight or stiffness to make the design efficient. One fear from the outsiders point of view would be the structural efficiency of such a waisted design, especially the vertical spar, that supports the wishbones leg above the differential. This does effectively make the gearbox slightly longer.
What Williams have done is to lower it as far as possible while still allowing the CV joints some consideration and the starter shaft to be accessed. The differential can effectively be at any angle pivoted around the centreline of the cross shaft. The differential is driven from the cross shaft between the diff and the main gear cluster. The slim carbon fibre moulding acting as both suspension members.įurther lowering the rear end the differential is lowered as far as possible. To remove other elements in the air steam, Williams have removed the toe link from behind the driveshaft and replaced it with a “Z” link upper wishbone. There is then no structure to hinder the airflow, until the air passes around the rear wing support, which now doubles up as the top rear wishbone mounting. Thus with the Williams the air flows over the upper body and around the engine cover, the bodywork then curves in behind the engine and airbox in a sharp “V”. If they can be sufficiently stiff, then this area can be removed. So although it serves a structural purpose the stiffen the suspension mounting points. Without this hardware mounted so high up, the area above the gearbox is just a void. By going to a Pullrod set up, the rockers, torsion bars and dampers that normally occupy the space above the gearbox are sited low down at the side of the gearbox (see ).
In fact Williams Design team have completely rethought the rear suspension and gear case. In order to gain the maximum flow towards the lower beam wing, Williams have removed a large part of the gearbox case (as described in the below illustration shaded yellow) ,lowered the differential and reworked the rear suspension. Until the area above the gearbox is looked at.
Williams said their new car would be aggressive, but at first look the FW33 seemed quite conventional.
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