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The Paddock
2 0 0 0 t e a m s
9 + 10  |
 BMW Williams |
| Formula One record: [1-1-2000] |
| Starts |
411 |
| Poles |
108 |
| Wins |
103 |
| Constructors' titles |
9 ('80, '81, '86, '87, '92, '93, '94, '96, '97) |
| Drivers' titles |
7 ('80(Jones), '82(Rosberg), '87(Piquet), '92(Mansell), '93(Prost), '96(D.Hill), '97(J.Villeneuve)) |
| 1999 season: |
| Fifth place overall, 35 points (Ralf Schumacher/Alex Zanardi). |
second x1, third x2, fourth x5, fifth x3, seventh x1, eighth x2, ninth x1, 10th x1, 11th x2, retired x14. |
| History: |
| 1977 |
Williams Grand Prix engineering is formed by Frank Williams (Williams cars had appeared earlier in the decade.) |
| 1978 |
Patrick Head-designed Ford-engined Williams FW06 car driven to second place by Alan Jones at Watkins Glen. |
| 1979 |
Regazzoni wins at Silverstone for first Williams victory after Jones had retired while in the lead. |
| 1980 |
Jones wins title, Williams become constructors' champions |
| 1983 |
Williams link up with Honda. |
| 1986 |
Frank Williams suffers accident that leaves him confined to wheelchair after his car overturns leaving pre-season testing at Paul Ricard circuit. |
| 1988 |
Williams use Judd engines. |
| 1989 |
Renault arrive as engine partners |
| 1992 |
Mansell wins first five races and becomes first driver to win nine races in one season and be on pole 14 times |
| 1994 |
Ayrton Senna dies in a Williams at Imola |
| 1997 |
Williams chalk up 100th win, at Silverstone. Secure a then-record ninth constructors' championship. Renault quit direct involvement in Formula One |
| 1998 |
Mecachrome/Supertec engines |
| 2000 |
BMW return to F1 as engine suppliers |
| Most successful drivers: Alan Jones(Australia), Nelson Piquet (Brasil) Nigel Mansel (Britain) Damon Hill (Britain), Alain Prost (France), Jacques Villeneuve (Canada) |
| Season by season: (year, standing, points, wins, drivers) |
| 1979 |
second, 75 points. Five wins: Britain, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Canada. (Alan Jones/Clay Regazzoni) |
| 1980 |
first, 120 - Argentina, Monaco, France, Britain, Canada, U.S.-East. (Jones/Carlos Reutemann). |
| 1981 |
first, 95 - U.S.-West, Brazil, Belgium, U.S. (Jones/Reutemann) |
| 1982 |
fourth, 58 - Switzerland (Reutemann/Keke Rosberg/Mario Andretti/Derek Daly) |
| 1983 |
fourth, 36 - Monaco (Rosberg/Jacques Laffite/Jonathan Palmer) |
| 1984 |
sixth, 25.5 - U.S. (Rosberg/Laffite) |
| 1985 |
third equal, 71 - U.S.-East, Europe, South Africa, Australia (Rosberg/Nigel Mansell) |
| 1986 |
first, 141 - Brazil, Belgium, Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Portugal (Nelson Piquet/Mansell) |
| 1987 |
first, 137 - San Marino, France, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Austria, Italy, Spain, Mexico (Piquet/Mansell/Riccardo Patrese) |
| 1988 |
seventh, 20 - no wins (Mansell/Patrese/Martin Brundle/Jean-Louis Schlesser) |
| 1989 |
second, 77 - Canada, Australia (Patrese/Thierry Boutsen) |
| 1990 |
fourth, 57 - San Marino, Hungary (Boutsen/Patrese) |
| 1991 |
second, 125 - Mexico, France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain (Patrese/Mansell) |
| 1992 |
first, 164 - South Africa, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, San Marino, France, Britain, Germany, Portugal, Japan (Mansell/Patrese) |
| 1993 |
first, 168 - South Africa, San Marino, Spain, Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Belgium, Italy (Alain Prost/Damon Hill) |
| 1994 |
first, 118 - Spain, Britain, Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Japan, Australia (Ayrton Senna/Hill/David Coulthard/Mansell) |
| 1995 |
second, 112 - Argentina, San Marino, Hungary, Portugal, Australia (Hill/Coulthard) |
| 1996 |
first, 175 - Australia, Brazil, Argentina, Europe, San Marino, Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Hungary, Portugal, Japan (Hill/Jacques Villeneuve) |
| 1997 |
first, 123 - Brazil, Argentina, San Marino, Spain, Britain, Hungary, Austria, Luxembourg (Villenueve/Heinz-Harald Frentzen) |
| 1998 |
third, 38 - no wins (Villeneuve/Frentzen) |
| Prospects for the 2000 season: |
 Williams FW22, powered by BMW V10. |
| The most consistent team of the 1990s, Williams have not won a race for two years and suffered their worst season for a decade last year. Ralf Schumacher was responsible for all their points, with Italian Alex Zanardi suffering an appalling season that ended in his departure. The main change for 2000 is the new BMW engine with the German carmaker returning after a 12-year absence. Schumacher is joined by 20-year-old Briton Jenson Button. The car has had engine problems in testing. |
| Drivers: |
 Ralf Schumacher |
| Aged 24, German. |
| Races 49, wins 0, pole positions 0 fastest laps 1, points to date: 62. |
| 1999 record |
Williams. Sixth place - second x1, third x2, fourth x5, fifth x3, ninth x1, retired x4. 35 points. |
Ralf drove Karts from an early age, but he launched into his racing career in Formula Three in 1994, joining WTS Racing, which was owned by brother Michael's mentor, Willi Weber.
His first win for the team came at the end of the 94 season giving him needed points to rank third overall, behind Jorg Muller and Alexander Wurz.
His second season was a battle for the title with Norberto Fontana, which he lost.
In 1996 he progressed to Formula 3000, winning three races and taking the title at the final round.
1997 saw his entry into Formula One, racing for the Jordan team. He proved fast, achieving his first podium result, a third place, in Argentina, the third race of the season. Although he had the raw speed, Ralf tended to crash a lot. The 97 season saw him retire from 10 races, half of which were accident related, and it appeared as if 1998 was to be the same.
Partnered with Damon Hill, by mid season he showed that he too, like Michael, could excel under wet conditions, bringing home Jordan's first point for the season in a wet Silverstone race.
From that race on, he showed speed and consistency, culminating in his best finish ever, a second, in horrendous conditions at Belgium.
Despite his good results, he finished 10th overall, and decided to partner Alex Zanardi at Williams for the 99 season. He was on the podium often through the season, outshining his CART champion teammate, who failed to win a point.
Ralf sat on 19 points and 6th in the championship at the halfway mark, and he continued to impress not only his bosses, but also most of the paddock. His passion was obvious as was the fact that he had learned to control his earlier erratic drives very well. He finished the season with thirty-five points while his teammate was pointless.
He remains with Williams in 2000 and as the team will be merging with BMW, it may be a rough ride.
|
 Jenson Button |
| Aged 20, Britain. |
| Races 0, no wins, no poles. |
| 1999 record |
Third in British Formula Three championship |
Just two years after entering Formula Ford 20-year-old Jenson Button is set to line up for his first Grand Prix as the 5th youngest GP driver ever, and the youngest British driver ever; this March.
In Formula Ford he became champion in his first year. In 1999 he competed in the British Formula 3 championship and impressed so much that he was snapped up by BMW WilliamsF1. Jarno Trulli is the most recent driver in Formula 1, one of few who have transcended from Formula 3 straight to Formula 1.
Joined Williams as replacement for Italian Alex Zanardi in January. Has never raced in Formula One but impressed after initial test with Prost.
"Definitely a star of the future," says Williams technical director Patrick Head.
[More] |
| Williams in 2000: |
Just about everything that could have been changed in the Williams camp has been - and then some.
The team, world champions as recently as 1996 and 1997 (with Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve), enters the 2000 season very much in experimental mode.
It has a new major sponsor - Compaq, the computer manufacturer - and a new engine supplier and technology partner - BMW.
It has new livery: gone are the old royal blue Rothmans colors and the more recent red and yellow of the Winfield cigarette brand. They have been replaced by a sleek-looking, predominantly white paint job with navy blue trim.
Also new - in fact, just about newer than anything else in Formula One - is the team's second driver, Jenson Button.
The "baby Brit"" turned 20 barely six weeks ago, and when the lights go out at Albert Park he will be the fifth-youngest driver ever to start in a Formula One race (the youngest was Mike Thackwell, of New Zealand, who was 19 when he drove in the Canadian Grand Prix at Montreal in 1980).
While tech-heads might be hanging out to see the performance of the new BMW power plant, Button will bring Williams as much publicity this week as Ferrari and McLaren - perhaps more.
He has been able to move from Formula Three to the big game so quickly because Sir Frank Williams and his technical director, Patrick Head, were prepared to gamble on a raw and emerging talent.
After the sacking of the hugely disappointing Alex Zanardi late last year, several drivers were put forward as potential replacements. All the while, stories were being printed saying that Sir Frank had always regretted that he didn't take a chance on the young Michael Schumacher at the start of the decade, and was determined not to make the same mistake again.
True or not, Button was always in the frame as discussion went on, and in the end he won a "shootout" against Brazilian Bruno Junqueira for the seat. Button apparently got the nod because the Williams top brass was impressed by his natural ability and potential.
It's not easy to step into the limelight so quickly, and Button, a Briton driving for a British team, will be under enormous pressure.
The fact that the car is equipped with a brand-new engine will also make it difficult for him to shine, given that season 2000 is sure to be a development year.
However, chances to get into F1 are so few and far between that the youngster had to seize his chance.
The history of the sport is littered with the names of drivers who had a few races, maybe a season or two, but didn't quite cut the mustard. Button could be one of those, but he might also, as some forecast, be one of the great talents of his generation. Melbourne will give us the first clues.
There can be no doubting the quality of his co-driver, Ralf Schumacher, however.
The younger brother of dual-world champion Michael impressed all and sundry last year with his controlled aggression, speed and growing maturity in an uncompetitive Supertec-engined car. He was desperately unlucky not to win last year, and, although only a few years older than Button, the mantle of team leader sits squarely on his shoulders.
Patience will, however, be the key virtue for the younger Schumacher as he spends much of the season working with the engineers and technicians to wring performance improvements from the power plant and the whole Williams package.
The BMW V10 engine is, of necessity, a work in progress. More will be learned in the course of race weekends than in weeks of testing, and Williams is looking forward to a lighter, smaller version being developed for the 2001 season. The team has also developed a seven-speed gearbox for the new car, which is a few centimetres longer than the 1999 model.
Williams officials have spent much of the pre-season trying to douse expectations. Sir Frank has admitted that the results of the past two seasons - a third and a fifth place in the constructors' championship - had not been good for the team, but he insisted: "I believe that we will make it with BMW, certainly not right from the start but in the long run. There are no short cuts. We will go through a learning process together."
Gerhard Berger, BMW's director of motor sport, was also downbeat. "As for clear predictions, Formula One is too complicated for this," he said. "But we have set ourselves a target - we want to be up with the top teams by the end of the second year and, in the third year, we will race to win."
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