Category | Formula One | ||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Constructor | Williams | ||||||||||
Designer(s) | Mike Coughlan (Technical Director) [1] Ed Wood (Chief Designer) Jason Somerville (Head of Aerodynamics) | ||||||||||
Predecessor | Williams FW33 | ||||||||||
Successor | Williams FW35 | ||||||||||
Technical specifications [2] | |||||||||||
Chassis | Carbon-fibre and honeycomb composite monocoque | ||||||||||
Suspension (front) | Double wishbone, push-rod activated springs and anti-roll bar | ||||||||||
Suspension (rear) | Double wishbone, pull-rod activated springs and anti-roll bar | ||||||||||
Engine | Renault RS27-2012 [3] 2.4 L (146 cu in) V8 naturally aspirated mid-mounted | ||||||||||
Transmission | Williams F1 seven speed seamless sequential semi-automatic shift plus reverse gear, gear selection electro-hydraulically actuated | ||||||||||
Weight | 640 kg (1,411.0 lb) (with driver) | ||||||||||
Fuel | Total | ||||||||||
Tyres | Pirelli P Zero (dry), Cinturato (wet) [4] RAYS forged magnesium wheels (front and rear): 13" | ||||||||||
Competition history | |||||||||||
Notable entrants | Williams F1 Team | ||||||||||
Notable drivers | 18. Pastor Maldonado [5] 19. Bruno Senna [6] | ||||||||||
Debut | 2012 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
First win | 2012 Spanish Grand Prix | ||||||||||
Last win | 2012 Spanish Grand Prix | ||||||||||
Last event | 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix | ||||||||||
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The Williams FW34 [7] was a Formula One racing car designed by Williams F1 for the 2012 Formula One season.
Following their worst season in their thirty-year history [8] —in which they finished ninth in the World Constructors' Championship with just five points—the team underwent a technical review, employing former McLaren designer Mike Coughlan (having served his suspension for his role in the 2007 Formula One espionage controversy) as Chief Designer, and promoting Jason Somerville to Head of Aerodynamics. [1]
The FW34 used the Renault RS27-2012 engine; [3] the team had previously used Renault engines between 1989 and 1997. The car, which was launched on the 7 February 2012, was driven by Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna.
At the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix, Maldonado drove the FW34 to pole position and converted it to victory the next day. It was Maldonado's first and only Formula One race win, Williams' first race win since Juan Pablo Montoya won the 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix driving an FW26, and Williams' most recent race win as of December 2024.
Drawing the inspiration from the Rothmans-sponsored FW19 of 1997, the blue colour on the engine cover was flipped along with other minor changes. PDVSA was retained for the second year with new sponsorships from Procter & Gamble products (Gillette and Head & Shoulders).
(key) (results in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)
Year | Entrant | Engine | Tyres | Drivers | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Points | WCC |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Williams F1 | Renault RS27-2012 | P | AUS | MAL | CHN | BHR | ESP | MON | CAN | EUR | GBR | GER | HUN | BEL | ITA | SIN | JPN | KOR | IND | ABU | USA | BRA | 76 | 8th | |
Pastor Maldonado | 13† | 19† | 8 | Ret | 1 | Ret | 13 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 13 | Ret | 11 | Ret | 8 | 14 | 16 | 5 | 9 | Ret | ||||||
Bruno Senna | 16† | 6 | 7 | 22† | Ret | 10 | 17 | 10 | 9 | 17 | 7 | 12 | 10 | 18† | 14 | 15 | 10 | 8 | 10 | Ret |
† Driver failed to finish the race, but was classified as they had completed greater than 90% of the race distance.
Bruno Senna Lalli is a Brazilian former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 2010 to 2012. In endurance racing, Senna won the 2017 FIA World Endurance Championship in the LMP2 class with Rebellion.
Pastor Rafael Maldonado Motta is a Venezuelan former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 2011 to 2015. Maldonado won the 2012 Spanish Grand Prix with Williams.
HRT Formula 1 Team, formerly known as Campos Meta 1 and Hispania Racing, was a Spanish Formula One team founded by former driver Adrián Campos. It was sold to José Ramón Carabante before its debut in 2010, and then to investment group Thesan Capital in July 2011. It was the first Spanish team to race in Formula One; a previous effort known as "Bravo F1" failed to enter the sport in 1993.
The 2011 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 65th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. The original calendar for the 2011 Formula One World Championship consisted of twenty rounds, including the inaugural running of the Indian Grand Prix before the cancellation of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Pirelli returned to the sport as tyre supplier for all teams, taking over from Bridgestone, marking their return to Formula One for the first time since the 1991 season.
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