Williams launch the FW25

The BMW Williams F1 team launched the 2003 challenger at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain today and hopes the FW25 will close the gap between itself and Ferrari. Team Principal Sir Frank Williams, BMW Motorsport Directors Dr. Mario Theissen and Gerhard Berger and Technical Director Patrick Head were present for the unveiling, along with drivers Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher and tester Marc Gene.

Some components of the new car, including the BMW P83 engine, have been tested over the winter in Spain. The chassis is a new design rather than a development of last year's car and Williams approached the task with a new philosophy that has created what is described as 'different visual appearance'.

A team led by Gavin Fisher designed the FW25 at the team headquarters in Grove, UK, and the engine was developed at the BMW factory in Munich, under the guidance of Heinz Paschen.

"It's not a summit that will easily be conquered", said Frank Williams of challenging Ferrari. "We are well prepared and completely determined to get to the top. We have a new, innovative chassis -- the FW25 -- ready. The new car is the product of a completely different way of thinking. And with the P83, BMW has developed another new and more powerful engine. With Juan Pablo Montoya and Ralf Schumacher we have two winning drivers ably assisted by a skilled and committed team."

"To achieve our aims", explained Mario Theissen, "we have built an even more powerful engine in Munich. Yet again, we were the first to test it on the track, even earlier than last year. The P83, like its two predecessors, is designed to be the most powerful engine in Formula 1. After managing to pass the threshold of 19,000 revolutions a minute in 2002, we intend to exceed this in 2003. At the same time, our ten-cylinder unit is set to become even more reliable next year."

Williams wanted the new car to be 'a revolution rather than an evolution': "2002 showed us that our chassis was a model of reliability, but that there's still room for improvement particularly on the aerodynamic front," said Patrick Head. "That's why the FW25 is not an iteration but a completely new race car."

Montoya and Schumacher will take the FW25 for a few shakedown laps of the circuit after the presentation and the first official test is due in Barcelona starting on the 1st February.

Car profile
Transmission: WilliamsF1 semi-automatic
Clutch: AP
Chassis: Carbon Aramid epoxy composite, manufactured by WilliamsF1
Suspension: WilliamsF1
Steering: WilliamsF1
Cooling system: Water and oil radiators
Brakes: Carbon Industrie carbon discs and pads operated by AP callipers
Lubricants: Castrol
Fuel: Petrobras
Wheels: O.Z.; 13 x 12 front, 13 x 13.7 rear
Tyres: Michelin Pilot

Cockpit instrumentation: WilliamsF1 digital data display allied with BMW HUD system (Ralf Schumacher)
Steering wheel: WilliamsF1
Driver’s seat: Anatomically formed in carbon/epoxy composite material with Alcantara covering
Extinguisher systems: WilliamsF1/Safety Devices
Front track: Maximum allowance
Rear track: Maximum allowance
Weight: 600 kg including driver and camera

Engine BMW P83
Type: normally aspirated V10
Cylinder angle: 90 degrees
Displacement: 2,998 cc
Cylinders: four valves per cylinder
Valve drive: pneumatic
Engine block: aluminium
Cylinder head: aluminium
Crankshaft: steel
Oil system: dry sump lubrication
Engine management: BMW