 Keke Rosberg's Williams FW08 (1982).  Unraced Williams FW08B.  Keke Rosberg's Williams FW08C (1983). | |||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Williams | ||||||||
| Designers | Patrick Head (Technical Director) Frank Dernie (Head of Aerodynamics and R&D) | ||||||||
| Predecessor | FW07 | ||||||||
| Successor | FW09 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications[1][2] | |||||||||
| Chassis | Aluminiumhoneycombmonocoque | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Double wishbones, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Double wishbones, coil springs over dampers, anti-roll bar | ||||||||
| Engine | FordCosworth DFV, 2,993 cc (182.6 cu in), 90°V8,NA,mid-engine,longitudinally mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Hewland FGA 400 5-speedmanual | ||||||||
| Fuel | Mobil | ||||||||
| Tyres | Goodyear | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | TAGWilliams Racing Team | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | 5. Derek Daly6./1.  Keke Rosberg2.  Jacques Laffite42.  Jonathan Palmer | ||||||||
| Debut | 1982 Belgian Grand Prix | ||||||||
| First win | 1982 Swiss Grand Prix | ||||||||
| Last win | 1983 Monaco Grand Prix | ||||||||
| Last event | 1983 European Grand Prix | ||||||||
| |||||||||
| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 1 (1982 –Keke Rosberg) | ||||||||
TheWilliams FW08 was aFormula One car designed byFrank Dernie, which debuted at the1982 Belgian Grand Prix held at theZolder circuit. An evolution of theFW07 that it replaced, the car was used byFinnish driverKeke Rosberg to win the1982World Drivers' Championship.
The FW08 was a development of theWilliams FW07 but featured a shorter wheelbase and much stiffer chassis to cope with the higher g-loading that the minimum ride height regulations introduced in 1981 demanded. While McLaren and others pioneered the use of carbon fibre chassis, Patrick Head stuck to aluminium honeycomb for the new car.[3] The FW08 suited Keke Rosberg's aggressive driving style and he used it to good effect, winning the1982 Swiss Grand Prix and scoring several other podium places to snatch the championship. Rosberg was on course to win in Belgium on the car's debut but tyre trouble caused him to drop back in the closing stages of the race.[4] The FW08 was Frank Dernie's favourite car of all those he worked on during his time with the team.[5]
During wind tunnel testing at Imperial College, Frank Dernie recorded that the FW08 had alift to drag ratio of a remarkable 8:1 - eight parts downforce to just one part drag, giving the FW08 supreme aerodynamic efficiency and giving Keke Rosberg a chance to compete with the far more powerful turbo Renault and Ferrari during the 1982 season (the turbo runners of 1982 were producing at least 570 BHP at over 11,000 RPM in race trim, compared to the 515 BHP of the best Cosworth runners). During 1982 Keke Rosberg often qualified and raced without front wings as the downforce generated by the underbody Venturi tunnels was so huge that a front wing was not required. Removing the front wing meant better penetration through the air, thus giving the FW08 straightline speed which was regularly the best of a Cosworth DFV equipped runner and allowing Rosberg the opportunity of taking on the far more powerful turbos thanks to a combination of his driving skill and the lower weight of the FW08 compared to the heavy bulky turbo runners of 1982.
TheFW08B[6] was a six-wheeled (four driven wheels at the rear and two undriven wheels at the front) variant that originated from theFW07D (also six-wheeled). It never raced. Patrick Head specifically said that the reason it was banned was because "someone in a FOCA meeting said it would drive up costs and cause chaos during pitstops". The FIA promptly limited the number of wheels for all cars to four, of which only two may be driven.[7]
The FW08 was updated for the1983 Formula One season to become theFW08C. Under new regulations allground effect was out and flat bottom cars were in, meaning nearly all the cars in Formula One had to be heavily modified or replaced and the FW08 was no different. Against the turbo cars ofRenault,Brabham andFerrari, Williams were not expected to do as well as they did.[citation needed]Jacques Laffite rejoined the team, having started his F1 career withFrank Williams Racing Cars back in 1974.[8] Rosberg opened the season with pole position at theBrazilian Grand Prix (the last for a Ford-Cosworth DFV powered car) and scored the car's last win, at the1983 Monaco Grand Prix. He eventually finished fifth in the Drivers' Championship, while Williams finished the season in fourth place, the best of the Cosworth-powered cars.[9]
The FW08C also has the distinction of being the first Formula One car ever driven byAyrton Senna, atDonington Park in July 1983, after he badgered team boss Frank Williams for a test after being sat beside him on a flight. Senna completed 40 laps and lapped the circuit faster than anyone else had managed in the car, including 1983 race drivers Rosberg and Laffite. However, Williams team was not able to offer Senna a drive for1984 as Rosberg and Laffite were under contract and theBrazilian signed to theToleman team instead. Senna did not drive another Williams until he signed to drive for the team in1994.[10]
The FW08C was retired after the1983 European Grand Prix atBrands Hatch. A third car was actually raced by the team at this race and was driven to 13th place byJonathan Palmer. It was replaced by theHonda poweredFW09 for the last race of the season inSouth Africa.[11]
Early in 1983, Rosberg drove his FW08C to victory in theRace of Champions at Brands Hatch. To date this is the last non-championship Formula One race to have been held.
In 1985 two FW08C were entered by PMC Motorsport in some races of theFormula 3000 championship, driven byThierry Tassin andLamberto Leoni. The results achieved were unremarkable apart fromLamberto Leoni's two third place finishes, in thePau street race and at theÖsterreichring.
(key) (results inbold indicate pole position)
| Year | Entrant | Chassis | Engine | Tyres | Driver | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | Pts. | WCC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | TAG Williams Racing Team | FW08 | Cosworth DFV V8NA | G | RSA | BRA | USW | SMR | BEL | MON | DET | CAN | NED | GBR | FRA | GER | AUT | SUI | ITA | CPL | 58* | 4th | |
| Keke Rosberg | 2 | Ret | 4 | Ret | 3 | Ret | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 5 | |||||||||||
| Derek Daly | Ret | 6 | 5 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7 | Ret | Ret | 9 | Ret | 6 | |||||||||||
| 1983 | TAG Williams Racing Team | FW08C | Cosworth DFV V8NA | G | BRA | USW | FRA | SMR | MON | BEL | DET | CAN | GBR | GER | AUT | NED | ITA | EUR | RSA | 38* | 4th | ||
| Keke Rosberg | DSQ | Ret | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 11 | 10 | 8 | Ret | 11 | Ret | |||||||||
| Jacques Laffite | 4 | 4 | 6 | 7 | Ret | 6 | 5 | Ret | 12 | 6 | Ret | Ret | DNQ | DNQ | |||||||||
| Jonathan Palmer | 13 |
* 14 points in1982 scored using theFW07C
* 2 points in1983 scored byHondaturbo poweredWilliams FW09
