Formula One Independent Thinking: Can Williams Return To Glory?

Through preseason testing, it appeared that Williams F1, one of the only remaining independent teams the sport has (the other being Force India F1), would be on the rebound this season and be in the running for consistent podiums.

After the first race, those sentiments seemed to be confirmed; Nico Rosberg put the team on the podium for the first time since 2005, and Kazuki Nakajima followed that up with a fine sixth on his debut.

Nine points for them caused many, myself included, thinking this would be a resurgent season for the Grove based outfit.

However, things afterward took a tumble. Nakajima has done well considering he’s a rookie, but the team has had to rely on him for results recently as expected lead driver Rosberg has lost his way slightly.

Williams was once the dominant force in Formula One. Through 1997, they were building one of the best (if not the best) cars on the grid and were yearly contenders for both championships.

However, when Formula One switched to its “narrow track” rules package, this team lost its dominant form. While they did have wins from 2001-2004, only one of those seasons saw them have a realistic shot at either title (2003) and their car was never the best of the grid.

What was the cause of their drop through the field? The lack of a powerful engine lump in the car? Not necessarily. Even though Renault left, BMW entered the picture and provided them with, arguably the most powerful engine on the grid. And, with BMW now out of the picture, the Toyota customer package has been quite reliable for them.

The team’s biggest problem seems to be adapting to the new aerodynamics the cars require in the “narrow track” era. Such struggles have required them to utilize radical looking visual pieces on their cars. Their front wing in 2003 looked very different from what it looked like in 2001 and 2002. However, that strategy worked for them that year as they were able to contend for wins.

In 2004, however, their radical strategy backfired in a big way. That season saw them introduce the infamous walrus nose cone. Needless to say, it didn’t work. They abandoned it halfway through the season and only won once.

This “narrow track” era has thrown this once great organization for a loop. Their season to date has been a disappointment, but Frank Williams isn’t throwing in the towel. They’ll continue to develop their 2008 car, as the 2009 car and its preparations is the responsibility of another group within that team.

As we all know, 2009 will see changes that could bring the cars back to the days before 1998 (which saw the new regulations). Can the Williams' team, while still an independent with no partial ownership from an auto maker (such as the case at McLaren and Sauber) accomplish success?

Well, the aero restrictions will prevent teams from becoming dependant on the wind tunnel for grip, as their focus should (in theory) shift to developing more mechanical grip, especially with the return of slick tires. That should surely help Williams (who admittedly don’t have as much of the financing McLaren and Ferrari do).

Also, the true wild card of 2009 could be the advent of Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems (aka KERS). It is my belief that whomever can have this perfected in its initial stages will have a nice advantage come 2009.

Could Williams be that team? Certainly, it’s possible. They currently find themselves where McLaren was before 1998. That team was, coming off a season that saw them win for the first time since 1993. They, like Williams is now, had been struggling with their cars through the 1990s, despite the team's obvious talents.

However, when the sport saw the new rules for 1998, McLaren was immediately the one to beat, as they dominated that year's championship, following it up with a second straight driver's title in 1999.

Just as in 1998 with the "narrow track" formula, no one is certain how KERS will affect the racing or which team can harness for next year. It could very well be the key to next year's championship and race winners, which is where Williams wants to be. Figuring out KERS will go a long way to landing them back there.

While it is unclear if they can return to form, Formula One enthusiasts (myself included) are hoping that one of the true and stable independent teams can find the success they once had.