Williams’ FW44 made its on track debut in a wet shakedown session at Silverstone on Tuesday. PHOTO: Williamsf1.com

BRENDAN LINES FEBRUARY 16, 2022

Williams revealed its FW44 staging a simultaneously timed on-track shakedown and an online livery reveal on Tuesday.

The genuine FW44 turned a wheel for the first time in a wet shakedown session at Silverstone, while an all-new livery was displayed on what appeared to be the Formula 1 2022 concept car.

Aside from its fresh look, the FW44 heralds a fresh approach in design amid the new regulations, and a new driver with the arrival of former Red Bull podium-winner Alex Albon joining third-year driver Nicholas Latifi.

But Tuesday’s shakedown session was more than just for show, the Grove-based team went straight to work understanding its new machinery ahead of offical testing starting in just one week.

Albon said the team would need to be “efficient” ensuring it can deliver a competitive package.

“We don’t have many days before our first race and so we quickly need to understand which areas of the car are strong and where we need to make improvements,” Albon said.

“I’m sure it will be a little bit of a learning curve as we all try to learn how to get the most out of the new regulations, but the objectives and the way that we focus on this car is very much the same as in previous years.

“Ultimately, we’re all still trying to get a racing car around a track as quickly as possible.”

The FW44 rounds Luffield in the wet at Silverstone on Tuesday. PHOTO: Williamsf1.com

On first look, the FW44 appears to borrow from the McLaren/Aston Martin philosophy of a gap running the full-width between the first and second elements with the former running under the car’s nose.

Sidepods are the area that has yielded curious intrigue across the various offerings of each of the teams. And Williams have almost completely shaven the rear section of its sidepods almost to the bare bones of its gearbox and rear suspension.

A square air intake sits atop the driver’s head, where the other teams have gone a more circular route.

Unique to the FW44 is its convex nose cone shape, where other designs so far have gone with a flatter section like the Formula 1 concept car.

Latifi said the fast-approaching Barcelona test session would be an opportunity to “push and see what the car can do”.