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2005 Williams FW27 news, pictures, and information

Armed wîth new drivers, new structures, a new chassis and a new engine, the BMW WilliamsF1 Team is resolved to return to its former strength in 2005, a year which also sees the introduction of new regulations. There are many unknowns awaiting the teams in the forthcoming Formula One season, but one thing is certain: the BMW WilliamsF1 Team will do everything in its power to avoid a repeat of the disappointing 2004 season.

'We want to move back into the winning lane', says Team Principal, Frank Williams, insisting: 'The mistakes of 2004 must not happen again.

'We must implement the new regulations to our best advantage and be completely wîth it when it comes down to it. I believe we have the strength to grow wîth the appeal of the new challenges. Every single person in the team is brimming wîth ambition and motivation.'

BMW Motorsport Director, Dr. Mario Theissen also feels confident about the forthcoming season, its 19 races making it the longest there has ever been in motor racing's top echelon. 'It's going to be a real show of strength for everyone involved. For four years we surpassed our targets. Then in 2004 we found ourselves in a trough, failing to meet our expectations for the first time. In the sixth year of the partnership we now aim to accumulate successes once more wîth renewed strength.'

The new drivers.
For four years, the BMW WilliamsF1 Team turned up at the race track wîth the same brace of drivers. During this time, Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher took ten wins between them, including three one-two victories. In 2005, there will be new faces in the cockpits: Australian Mark Webber (28) and German Nick Heidfeld (27) will be lining up on the grid for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team. Whereas Webber was signed up in July 2004, it wasn't until the end of the December ‘04 and January ‘05 tests that Heidfeld came out on top against Brazilian contender Antonio Pizzonia (24). Pizzonia was a test driver for the team in 2002 and 2004, and last year competed in four races replacing the injured Ralf Schumacher. In 2005, he will continue as an official test and reserve driver for the BMW WilliamsF1 Team.

'The new drivers', says Frank Williams, 'will bring a breath of fresh air into the team. That is not to diminish the achievements of Ralf and Juan in any way. But the curiosity of working wîth new drivers has an inspirational effect. It also works the other way round, of course. The new drivers will not neglect any opportunity to prove they were the right choice.'

Sam Michael, Technical Director at WilliamsF1, explains: 'We put in a lot of time doing extensive testing wîth Nick Heidfeld and Antonio Pizzonia. It was a very intensive and productive phase. We're very happy to have good drivers as part of the team.'

Heidfeld brings along the greatest Formula One racing experience of the three. Inclusive of the 2004 season, the German has contested 84 Grands Prix and picked up 28 World Championship points. Webber's tally amounts to 50 Grands Prix and 26 points, while Pizzonia has 15 F1 races and six points under his belt.

The new challenges.
In 2005, the chassis and engine must comply wîth fundamentally new requirements. The development of the chassis, the FW27, and the BMW P84/5 engine were governed by radical changes to the regulations.

The rules for 2005 severely curtail the aerodynamics of the cars and demand a further doubling of the engines' distance to around 1,500 km.

Sam Michael: 'The new aerodynamic limitations mean a considerable loss in downforce, in the region of up to 30 percent. On the simulator it has shown an increase in lap times of three seconds on average. In light of the new specifications, a further evolution of the FW26, which, at the end of its development had the potential to win, is out of the question. The FW27 is a completely new development. We started work on it in the summer of 2004, alongside concept modifications for the FW26. The second wind tunnel going on stream was therefore a tremendous help to us. The new facility is absolutely state-of-the-art and certainly the most advanced in the whole of Formula One at this time.'

The regulations for the 2005 season will also make greater demands on the engines, which will now have to last for two complete race weekends. Theissen: 'The two regulation changes for 2005 and 2006 respectively, which were announced at relatively short notice, have got the Munich cauldron up to boiling point. After it became clear in July that the engines would have to last for two weekends in 2005, we filed away the engine concept we had been pursuing up to that point. From then on it was a case of taking the P84, our engine for the 2004 season, as a basis and developing a new power unit for 2005. With the BMW P84/5 we aim to deliver the top engine in Formula One once again. In parallel wîth that, the concept phase for the 2.4-litre V8 unit stipulated for 2006 has begun.'

The new engine.
The BMW Formula One engine for the 2005 season is not called P85, as one might expect, but comes wîth the model designation P84/5. 'The name', says BMW Motorsport Director, Mario Theissen, 'reflects the fact that the engine draws on the concept of the previous year's P84 unit but in a configuration that is in keeping wîth the modified requirements.'

These requirements include a further doubling of the engine's working life to 1,500 km. That signifies a quadrupling of the distance covered in comparison wîth 2002. In 2003, for the first time, the same engine used in qualifying had to be used in the race as well. 2004 saw the introduction of the one-weekend engine rule. In 2005, engines cannot be replaced until they have covered a distance of two Grand Prix weekends.

Between Friday and Sunday, the engines have to tackle extremely diverse disciplines. During the free practice sessions, which are used for set-up work and tyre selection, the teams will now increasingly focus on sparing the engines.

Theissen: 'That can be achieved in two different ways: driving fewer laps or reducing engine speed. We don't want to drive less because that would cost us valuable set-up time, particularly as we want to cut down on the test drives. Curtailing the maximum engine speed is the preferred option. You don't need peak revs for set-up work and tyre selection.' In future, the same set of tyres will have to be used both for qualifying and for the race.

By contrast, the first qualifying session, held as a flying lap between 13.00 and 14.00 hrs on Saturday, presents challenges of a very different kind. The time recorded in this single lap determines the starting order for the second timed lap (Sunday 10.00 to 11.00 hrs). Saturday's fastest driver is the last to go out onto the track on Sunday morning.

The new calendar.
The 2005 season will be the longest in Formula One history. Never before have there been 19 races in one season. After Bahrain and China joined as two new GP venues last year, Turkey is the latest addition to the Formula One calendar.

'This expansion means higher deployment costs on the one hand', says Theissen, 'but on the other hand it also presents an opportunity to tap the economic power of new markets embracing Formula One. That is extremely important, especially for a globally active carmaker such as BMW.'

The new season will have one race more than in 2004 but will be a week shorter in duration, making for a very packed diary. Between 22nd May (Monaco) and 31st July (Hungary), eight races within eleven weeks are on the agenda. At the height of summer, races will be held on four out of the five weekends in July. The season's final rounds in Suzuka (9th October) and Shanghai (16th October) will bring a further double-header.

Like Theissen, Sam Michael is also convinced that the team will rise to the organisational, logistical and physical challenges. 'Of course it means a huge effort for everyone involved, as test drives have to be undertaken between the races as well. But we are a seasoned team and in a position to handle this mammoth programme.'

Growing wîth experience.
The BMW WilliamsF1 Team made its debut in the year 2000. For BMW, this move spelt a return to Formula One after an interval of twelve years, and a partnership wîth one of the most successful teams in Formula One history. The team's debut year culminated in third place in the Constructors' World Championship.

The second year saw the first wins by the team, a narrowing of the gap to the front-runners, and a consolidation of third place in the World Championship. In 2002, the BMW WilliamsF1 Team advanced into second place, though still remaining a considerable distance behind World Champions, Ferrari. In 2003, the blue-and-white team shot ahead, intermittently taking the lead in the Championship, and only in the final round conceded defeat to the once more victorious Italians.

After four very successful years, the Anglo-German partnership failed to live up to expectations for the first time in 2004 and had to settle for fourth place in the Constructors' World Championship. Winning the last race of the season in Brazil did nothing to alter that.

Theissen points to the valuable experience that the BMW WilliamsF1 Team has managed to glean, particularly during the last season, the first in which things didn't run according to plan. 'In 2004, we proved by the final race in Sao Paulo that the team has the strength and competence to pull itself out of a difficult situation. One crucial aspect in that regard is the fact that we are now in a position to link up the know-how and resources of WilliamsF1 and BMW in a more effective way. We haven't yet reached our goal, but we have it firmly in our sights.'

Source - Williams
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2005 Formula One Season
PosTeamConstructorChassisDriversPoints
Mild Seven Renault F1 TeamRenaultR25 Spain Fernando Alonso
Italy Giancarlo Fisichella 
191
West McLaren MercedesMcLaren
MP4-20 
Spain Pedro Martínez de la Rosa
Colombia Juan Pablo Montoya
Finland Kimi-Matias Raikkonen
Austria Alexander Wurz 
182
Scuderia Ferrari MarlboroFerrari
F2005 
Brazil Rubens Gonçalves 'Rubinho' Barrichello
Germany Michael Schumacher 
100
Panasonic Toyota RacingToyota
TF105 
Germany Ralf Schumacher
Italy Jarno Trulli
Brazil Ricardo Luiz Zonta 
88
BMW WilliamsF1 TeamWilliams
FW27 
Germany Nick Lars Heidfeld
Brazil Antonio Reginaldo Pizzonia Jr.
Australia Mark Alan Webber 
66
Lucky Strike British American Racing HondaBAR
007 
United Kingdom Jenson Alexander Lyons Button
United Kingdom Anthony Denis Davidson
Japan Takuma Sato 
38
Red Bull RacingRed Bull
RB1 
United Kingdom David Marshall Coulthard
Austria Christian Klien
Italy Vitantonio 'Tonio' Liuzzi 
34
Sauber PetronasSauber
C24 
Brazil Felipe Massa
Canada Jacques Villeneuve 
20
Jordan RacingJordan
EJ15 
India Kumar Ram Narain Karthikeyan
Portugal Tiago Vagaroso da Costa Monteiro 
12
10 Minardi CosworthMinardi
PS05 
Netherlands Christijan Albers
Netherlands Robert Michael Doornbos
Austria Patrick Friesacher 
7

2005 Season Review
RaceCircuitDateWinning DriverConstructor
 Australian Grand Prix Australian Grand Prix Melbourne Grand Prix CircuitMar 2005  Giancarlo FisichellaRenault 
 Malaysian Grand Prix  SepangMar 2005  Fernando AlonsoRenault 
 Bahrain Grand Prix  Bahrain International CircuitApr 2005  Fernando AlonsoRenault 
 San Marino Grand Prix  Autodromo Enzo e Dino FerrariApr 2005  Fernando AlonsoRenault 
 Spanish Grand Prix  Circuit de CatalunyaMay 2005  Kimi-Matias RaikkonenMcLaren 
 Monaco Grand Prix  MonacoMay 2005  Kimi-Matias RaikkonenMcLaren 
 European Grand Prix  NürburgringMay 2005  Fernando AlonsoRenault 
 Canadian Grand Prix  Circuit Gilles VilleneuveJun 2005  Kimi-Matias RaikkonenMcLaren 
 United States Grand Prix  IndianapolisJun 2005  Michael SchumacherFerrari 
 French Grand Prix  Magny-CoursJul 2005  Fernando AlonsoRenault 
 British Grand Prix  SilverstoneJul 2005  Juan Pablo MontoyaMcLaren 
 German Grand Prix  HockenheimringJul 2005  Fernando AlonsoRenault 
 Hungarian Grand Prix  HungaroringJul 2005  Kimi-Matias RaikkonenMcLaren 
 Turkish Grand Prix  Istanbul ParkAug 2005  Kimi-Matias RaikkonenMcLaren 
 Italian Grand Prix  MonzaSep 2005  Juan Pablo MontoyaMcLaren 
 Belgian Grand Prix  Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps,Spa,BelgiumSep 2005  Kimi-Matias RaikkonenMcLaren 
 Brazilian Grand Prix  Autódromo José Carlos Pace, InterlagosSep 2005  Juan Pablo MontoyaMcLaren 
 Japanese Grand Prix  Fuji SpeedwayOct 2005  Kimi-Matias RaikkonenMcLaren 
 Chinese Grand Prix  ShanghaiOct 2005  Fernando AlonsoRenault 

Formula One World Drivers' Champions
1950 G. Farina
1951 J. Fangio
1952 A. Ascari
1953 A. Ascari
1954 J. Fangio
1955 J. Fangio
1956 J. Fangio
1957 J. Fangio
1958 M. Hawthorn
1959 S. Brabham
1960 S. Brabham
1961 P. Hill, Jr
1962 N. Hill
1963 J. Clark, Jr.
1964 J. Surtees
1965 J. Clark, Jr.
1966 S. Brabham
1967 D. Hulme
1968 N. Hill
1969 S. Stewart
1970 K. Rindt
1971 S. Stewart
1972 E. Fittipaldi
1973 S. Stewart
1974 E. Fittipaldi
1975 A. Lauda
1976 J. Hunt
1977 A. Lauda
1978 M. Andretti
1979 J. Scheckter
1980 A. Jones
1981 N. Piquet
1982 K. Rosberg
1983 N. Piquet
1984 A. Lauda
1985 A. Prost
1986 A. Prost
1987 N. Piquet
1988 A. Senna
1989 A. Prost
1990 A. Senna
1991 A. Senna
1992 N. Mansell
1993 A. Prost
1994 M. Schumacher
1995 M. Schumacher
1996 D. Hill
1997 J. Villeneuve
1998 M. Hakkinen
1999 M. Hakkinen
2000 M. Schumacher
2001 M. Schumacher
2002 M. Schumacher
2003 M. Schumacher
2004 M. Schumacher
2005 F. Alonso
2006 F. Alonso
2007 K. Raikkonen
2008 L. Hamilton
2009 J. Button
2010 S. Vettel
2011 S. Vettel
2012 S. Vettel

FW07

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