Williams FW12
Encyclopedia
The Williams FW12 was a Formula One
racing car used by the Williams
team for the 1988 Formula One season
. An updated version, the FW12C, was used for 12 of the 16 races of the 1989
season.
In its original guise the car featured a Judd CV 3.5 V8. In 1988 the car was unsuccessful for Williams after two years of domination with the FW12's predecessor, the FW11
, through use of the Honda turbo. Early in the season the car was described by Nigel Mansell
as being pathetically slow in a straight line. That along with trouble from the reactive suspension system saw only one point scored before the mid-season British Grand Prix
. It was there that Williams Technical Director Patrick Head
decided to dump the reactive suspension system for a more conventional one. Overnight after Friday qualifying until Saturday morning the team worked tirelessly to convert the cars. While Head admitted it was a botch job done on the fly and would have to be re-worked later, both Mansell and Riccardo Patrese
expressed delight with the car. The race was also a boost for Williams as Mansell drove his car in heavy rain to a hard fought 2nd place, his first points of the season. Mansell was forced to miss the Italian and Belgian races because of chickenpox
and was substituted by Martin Brundle
and Jean-Louis Schlesser
consecutively.
During the 1988 season, Williams worked with their new engine supplier Renault
to develop their new the RS1 3.5 V10 engine. Williams designed a test mule for the engine named FW12B, very much like the Judd-powered car Williams used for the 1988 season; except the mule was designed around the new engine. For the season the Renault
V10 engine was used. This was the first Renault powered Williams F1 car. The updated and revised FW12C showed its potential in the season opening Brazilian Grand Prix
with Patrese qualifying 2nd and leading the race from the start. He also scored 4 consecutive podiums (three 2nd and one 3rd place) to be among the leaders of the drivers' championship. During this time the car scored its only win when Thierry Boutsen
scored his first win at the rain affected 1989 Canadian Grand Prix
. It was Williams first 1-2 result since the 1987 Mexican Grand Prix
. Patrese also scored the cars only pole position at the 1989 Hungarian Grand Prix
.
* 23 points in scored using Williams FW13
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
racing car used by the Williams
WilliamsF1
Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head...
team for the 1988 Formula One season
1988 Formula One season
The 1988 Formula One season was the 39th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1988 FIA Formula One World Championship which commenced on April 3, 1988 and ended on November 13 after sixteen races...
. An updated version, the FW12C, was used for 12 of the 16 races of the 1989
1989 Formula One season
The 1989 Formula One season was the 40th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. It featured the 1989 FIA Formula One World Championship, which commenced on March 26, 1989 and ended on November 5 after sixteen races...
season.
In its original guise the car featured a Judd CV 3.5 V8. In 1988 the car was unsuccessful for Williams after two years of domination with the FW12's predecessor, the FW11
Williams FW11
The Williams FW11 was a Formula One car designed by Patrick Head and Frank Dernie as a serious challenger to McLaren and their MP4/2 car. The car took over from where the FW10 left off at the end of , when that car won the last three races of the season...
, through use of the Honda turbo. Early in the season the car was described by Nigel Mansell
Nigel Mansell
Nigel Ernest James Mansell OBE is a British racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the CART Indy Car World Series...
as being pathetically slow in a straight line. That along with trouble from the reactive suspension system saw only one point scored before the mid-season British Grand Prix
1988 British Grand Prix
The 1988 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 10, 1988 at the Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone. It was the eighth race of the 1988 Formula One season....
. It was there that Williams Technical Director Patrick Head
Patrick Head
Patrick Head , is co-founder and Engineering Director of the Williams Formula One team.For 25 years from Head was technical director at Williams Grand Prix Engineering, and responsible for many innovations within Formula One. Head oversaw the design and construction of Williams cars until May 2004...
decided to dump the reactive suspension system for a more conventional one. Overnight after Friday qualifying until Saturday morning the team worked tirelessly to convert the cars. While Head admitted it was a botch job done on the fly and would have to be re-worked later, both Mansell and Riccardo Patrese
Riccardo Patrese
Riccardo Gabriele Patrese is an Italian former racing driver, who raced in Formula One from to .He became the first Formula One driver to achieve 200 Grand Prix starts when he appeared at the 1990 British Grand Prix, and the first to achieve 250 starts at the 1993 German Grand Prix...
expressed delight with the car. The race was also a boost for Williams as Mansell drove his car in heavy rain to a hard fought 2nd place, his first points of the season. Mansell was forced to miss the Italian and Belgian races because of chickenpox
Chickenpox
Chickenpox or chicken pox is a highly contagious illness caused by primary infection with varicella zoster virus . It usually starts with vesicular skin rash mainly on the body and head rather than at the periphery and becomes itchy, raw pockmarks, which mostly heal without scarring...
and was substituted by Martin Brundle
Martin Brundle
Martin John Brundle is a British racing driver from England, known as a Formula One driver and as an F1 commentator for ITV Sport from 1997 to 2008, the BBC from 2009 to 2011 and Sky Sports from 2012....
and Jean-Louis Schlesser
Jean-Louis Schlesser
Jean-Louis Schlesser is a French racing driver with experience in circuit racing and cross-country rallying. He is known for his successful wins of many different competitions...
consecutively.
During the 1988 season, Williams worked with their new engine supplier Renault
Renault F1
Lotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking...
to develop their new the RS1 3.5 V10 engine. Williams designed a test mule for the engine named FW12B, very much like the Judd-powered car Williams used for the 1988 season; except the mule was designed around the new engine. For the season the Renault
Renault F1
Lotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking...
V10 engine was used. This was the first Renault powered Williams F1 car. The updated and revised FW12C showed its potential in the season opening Brazilian Grand Prix
1989 Brazilian Grand Prix
The 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Jacarepaguá on March 26, 1989.-Report:The FIRST team withdrew before the beginning of the season, as the car had failed a mandatory FIA pre-season crash test...
with Patrese qualifying 2nd and leading the race from the start. He also scored 4 consecutive podiums (three 2nd and one 3rd place) to be among the leaders of the drivers' championship. During this time the car scored its only win when Thierry Boutsen
Thierry Boutsen
Thierry Marc Boutsen is a former racing driver who raced for the Arrows, Benetton, Williams, Ligier and Jordan teams in Formula One.-Career:thumb|left|Boutsen driving for [[Arrows]] at the [[1984 Dallas Grand Prix]]....
scored his first win at the rain affected 1989 Canadian Grand Prix
1989 Canadian Grand Prix
The 1989 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 18, 1989.It was the first Formula One victory for Belgian driver Thierry Boutsen, who won three F1 races overall, all during his two-year stint with Williams-Renault.- Classification :- Notes :*Lap...
. It was Williams first 1-2 result since the 1987 Mexican Grand Prix
1987 Mexican Grand Prix
The 1987 Mexican Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Mexico City on October 18, 1987.- Classification :-Standings after the race:Drivers' Championship standingsConstructors' Championship standings...
. Patrese also scored the cars only pole position at the 1989 Hungarian Grand Prix
1989 Hungarian Grand Prix
The 1989 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Hungaroring on August 13, 1989. Nigel Mansell won the race for Ferrari after a marvellous overtaking manoeuvre on Ayrton Senna as the two came upon a back marker at the same time...
.
Complete Formula One results
(results shown in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)| Year | Team/Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Driver | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Pts. | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williams WilliamsF1 Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head... FW12 |
Judd CV V8 V8 engine A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders mounted on the crankcase in two banks of four cylinders, in most cases set at a right angle to each other but sometimes at a narrower angle, with all eight pistons driving a common crankshaft.... NA Naturally-aspirated engine A naturally aspirated engine is one common type of reciprocating piston internal combustion engine that depends solely on atmospheric pressure to counter the partial vacuum in the induction tract to draw in combustion air... |
BRA 1988 Brazilian Grand Prix The 1988 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on April 3, 1988 at the Autódromo Internacional Nelson Piquet, Rio de Janeiro. It was the first race of the 1988 Formula One season.-Background:... |
SMR 1988 San Marino Grand Prix The 1988 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Imola on May 1, 1988. It was the second round of the 1988 Formula One season. Ayrton Senna scored his first victory since joining McLaren at the start of the season. Turbocharged Honda powered cars swept the top 3... |
MON 1988 Monaco Grand Prix The 1988 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on May 15, 1988 at the Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo. It was the third race of the 1988 Formula One season.-Qualifying:... |
MEX 1988 Mexican Grand Prix The 1988 Mexican Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on May 29, 1988 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mexico City. It was the fourth race of the 1988 Formula One season.-Qualifying:... |
CAN 1989 Canadian Grand Prix The 1989 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 18, 1989.It was the first Formula One victory for Belgian driver Thierry Boutsen, who won three F1 races overall, all during his two-year stint with Williams-Renault.- Classification :- Notes :*Lap... |
DET 1988 Detroit Grand Prix The 1988 Detroit Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on June 19, 1988 in Detroit, Michigan.__FORCETOC__-Summary:Ayrton Senna's third win of the season made it six out of six for McLaren in 1988, on the way to an unprecedented 15 wins and ten 1-2 finishes in 16 races... |
FRA 1988 French Grand Prix The 1988 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 3, 1988 at the Circuit Paul Ricard, Le Castellet. It was the seventh race of the 1988 Formula One season.-Qualifying:... |
GBR 1988 British Grand Prix The 1988 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 10, 1988 at the Silverstone Circuit, Silverstone. It was the eighth race of the 1988 Formula One season.... |
GER 1988 German Grand Prix The 1988 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on July 24, 1988 at the Hockenheimring, Hockenheim. It was the ninth race of the 1988 Formula One season.-Pre-race:At the midpoint of the season, pre-qualifiers were re-evaluated... |
HUN 1988 Hungarian Grand Prix The 1988 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on August 7, 1988 at the Hungaroring, Budapest. It was the tenth race of the 1988 Formula One season.-Race summary:... |
BEL 1988 Belgian Grand Prix The 1988 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on August 28, 1988 at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. It was the eleventh race of the 1988 Formula One season.-Race summary:... |
ITA 1988 Italian Grand Prix The 1988 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on September 11, 1988 at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza, Monza. It was the twelfth race of the 1988 Formula One season... |
POR 1988 Portuguese Grand Prix The 1988 Portuguese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on September 25, 1988 at the Autódromo do Estoril, Estoril. It was the thirteenth race of the 1988 Formula One season.-Race summary:... |
ESP 1988 Spanish Grand Prix The 1988 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on October 2, 1988 at the Circuito Permanente de Jerez, Jerez de la Frontera. It was the fourteenth race of the 1988 Formula One season.-Qualifying:... |
JPN 1988 Japanese Grand Prix The 1988 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Suzuka Circuit, Japan, on October 30, 1988. It was the fifteenth and penultimate race of the 1988 Formula One season.-Race summary:... |
AUS 1988 Australian Grand Prix The 1988 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at the Adelaide Street Circuit, Adelaide, on November 13, 1988. It was the 53rd Australian Grand Prix to be held since the original 100 Miles Road Race was held in 1928, and it was the fourth race to be held on the streets of Adelaide as... |
20 | 7th | |||
| Nigel Mansell Nigel Mansell Nigel Ernest James Mansell OBE is a British racing driver who won both the Formula One World Championship and the CART Indy Car World Series... |
Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 2 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 2 | Ret | Ret | ||||||||
| Riccardo Patrese Riccardo Patrese Riccardo Gabriele Patrese is an Italian former racing driver, who raced in Formula One from to .He became the first Formula One driver to achieve 200 Grand Prix starts when he appeared at the 1990 British Grand Prix, and the first to achieve 250 starts at the 1993 German Grand Prix... |
Ret | 13 | 6 | Ret | Ret | Ret | Ret | 8 | Ret | 6 | Ret | 7 | Ret | 5 | 6 | 4 | ||||||
| Martin Brundle Martin Brundle Martin John Brundle is a British racing driver from England, known as a Formula One driver and as an F1 commentator for ITV Sport from 1997 to 2008, the BBC from 2009 to 2011 and Sky Sports from 2012.... |
7 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Jean-Louis Schlesser Jean-Louis Schlesser Jean-Louis Schlesser is a French racing driver with experience in circuit racing and cross-country rallying. He is known for his successful wins of many different competitions... |
11 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Williams WilliamsF1 Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited, trading as AT&T Williams, is a British Formula One motor racing team and constructor. It was founded and run by Sir Frank Williams and Patrick Head... FW12C |
Renault Renault F1 Lotus Renault GP, formerly the Renault F1 Team, is a British Formula One racing team. The Oxfordshire-based team can trace its roots back through the Benetton team of the late 1980s and 1990s to the Toleman team of the early 1980s. Renault had also competed in various forms since , before taking... RS1 V10 V10 engine A V10 engine is a V engine with 10 cylinders in two banks of five with a distinct exhaust note.- Mechanics :The V10 is essentially the result of mating two even-firing straight-5 engines together. The straight-5 engine shows first and second order rocking motion... |
BRA 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix The 1989 Brazilian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Jacarepaguá on March 26, 1989.-Report:The FIRST team withdrew before the beginning of the season, as the car had failed a mandatory FIA pre-season crash test... |
SMR 1989 San Marino Grand Prix The 1989 San Marino Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Imola on April 23, 1989.- Race summary :The only change to the entry list for the San Marino Grand Prix was the arrival of Gabriele Tarquini in the second car of the small AGS team, which had only run one car in Brazil after Philippe... |
MON 1989 Monaco Grand Prix The 1989 Monaco Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Monaco on May 7, 1989.- Race summary :The field was one fewer in Monaco as Ferrari had decided not to run a second car to replace Gerhard Berger, who was injured in an accident at Imola. Elsewhere Tyrrell had new cars that looked promising... |
MEX 1989 Mexican Grand Prix The 1989 Mexican Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Mexico City on May 28, 1989.- Classification :- Notes :*Only point: Gabriele Tarquini*First Grand Prix start: Onyx... |
USA 1989 United States Grand Prix The 1989 United States Grand Prix was a Formula One race held on June 4, 1989 in Phoenix, Arizona.__FORCETOC__-Summary:1989 was the year following the last Formula One race in Detroit, and choices for a new location for the United States Grand Prix came down to Laguna Seca, in California, and... |
CAN 1989 Canadian Grand Prix The 1989 Canadian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on June 18, 1989.It was the first Formula One victory for Belgian driver Thierry Boutsen, who won three F1 races overall, all during his two-year stint with Williams-Renault.- Classification :- Notes :*Lap... |
FRA 1989 French Grand Prix The 1989 French Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Paul Ricard on July 9, 1989.-Report:The race saw four drivers replaced by drivers making their first Formula One start: Jean Alesi replaced Michele Alboreto at Tyrrell, Éric Bernard replaced Yannick Dalmas at Larrousse, Martin Donnelly... |
GBR 1989 British Grand Prix The 1989 British Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Silverstone on July 16, 1989.-Report:McLaren went into the race with a new oil system and transverse gearbox which was feared to be unreliable. Nethertheless, the Woking team took control of qualifying with Senna ahead of Prost. Prost... |
GER 1989 German Grand Prix The 1989 German Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Hockenheimring on July 30, 1989. The race was highlighted by Gerhard Berger's spectacular accident at the Jim Clark chicane.-Pre-qualifying:... |
HUN 1989 Hungarian Grand Prix The 1989 Hungarian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Hungaroring on August 13, 1989. Nigel Mansell won the race for Ferrari after a marvellous overtaking manoeuvre on Ayrton Senna as the two came upon a back marker at the same time... |
BEL 1989 Belgian Grand Prix The 1989 Belgian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Spa-Francorchamps on August 27, 1989.- Qualifying :The two McLarens were on the front row with Senna half a second ahead of Prost. Third was Berger in the Ferrari but over 1.5 seconds behind Senna. Boutsen was fourth ahead of Patrese and... |
ITA 1989 Italian Grand Prix The 1989 Italian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Monza on September 10, 1989.- Classification :-Notes:* McLaren-Honda won the Constructor's Championship with four races left.... |
POR 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix The 1989 Portuguese Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at the Autódromo do Estoril on September 24, 1989. This race resulted in Onyx's only podium , the only lap ever led by a Minardi, and saw 10 different teams in the top 10.... |
ESP 1989 Spanish Grand Prix The 1989 Spanish Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Jerez on October 1, 1989.- Classification :- Notes :*First Grand Prix start: J.J. Lehto*Nigel Mansell was suspended for this race following his collision with Ayrton Senna in Portugal... |
JPN 1989 Japanese Grand Prix The 1989 Japanese Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Suzuka Circuit, Japan, on October 22, 1989. It formed the 15th and penultimate round of the 1989 Formula One World Championship. This race would become one of the most notorious in F1 history, as the culmination of Alain Prost and... |
AUS 1989 Australian Grand Prix The 1989 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula One race held at Adelaide on November 5, 1989. It took place in wet conditions, and was stopped and restarted following a first-lap collision. Andrea de Cesaris spun at the same corner on two consecutive laps... |
77* | 2nd | |||
| Thierry Boutsen Thierry Boutsen Thierry Marc Boutsen is a former racing driver who raced for the Arrows, Benetton, Williams, Ligier and Jordan teams in Formula One.-Career:thumb|left|Boutsen driving for [[Arrows]] at the [[1984 Dallas Grand Prix]].... |
Ret | 4 | 10 | Ret | 6 | 1 | Ret | 10 | Ret | 3 | 4 | 3 | ||||||||||
| Riccardo Patrese Riccardo Patrese Riccardo Gabriele Patrese is an Italian former racing driver, who raced in Formula One from to .He became the first Formula One driver to achieve 200 Grand Prix starts when he appeared at the 1990 British Grand Prix, and the first to achieve 250 starts at the 1993 German Grand Prix... |
15 | Ret | 15 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | Ret | 4 | Ret | Ret | 4 | 5 |
* 23 points in scored using Williams FW13
Williams FW13
The Williams FW13 was a Formula One racing car used by the Williams team for the last 4 races of the 1989 Formula One season. An updated version, the FW13B, was used in the 1990 Formula One season....