2008 Williams FW30

The Williams FW30 was an evolution of the predecessor car used during the 2007 season, the Williams FW29. Power came from Toyota, just as with the FW29, and was mated to a Williams seven-speed semi-automatic gearbox.

The FW30 made its public debut on January 21st of 2008 at the Circuit de Valencia in Spain. Its race debut was at the Australian Grand Prix where it was driven by Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima.

The FW30 had a carbon-fiber and honeycomb composite monocoque platform and was given the FW29's double wishbone suspension arrangement, along with the twin-pillar rear wing. The FW30's front wing was of new design, when compared with the FW29's setup. The FW29 had a two-element wing whereas the FW30 had a three-element design, similar to that used on the McLaren MP4-22. The front wing was suspended from the nose cone using the forward element.

As the season progressed, slight changes were made to the aerodynamics of the FW30. The design of the front wing bridge was altered slightly from the 2008 Turkish Grand Prix onward. The bridge element was given two small airflow 'fences' giving the team the ability to extend the depth of the wing profile. These changes added an increase in the aerodynamic downforce generated by the wing, without increasing drag.

The Toyota RVX-08 engine was a V8 unit that displaced 2400cc. One change made to the engine when compared with the prior seasons power-plant was the addition of an FIA-approved ECU. This was added to eliminate traction control and engine-assisted braking.

Driving for Team Williams was Nico Rosberg and Kazuki Nakajima. The team would finish the season in 8th place in the World Constructors Championship after having scored 26 points. Their best finish was at the Singapore Grand Prix, where Rosberg finished in 2nd place.

By Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2011