Cosworth power for
2006 Williams
Historic Formula One parters to be reunited
The Williams team have confirmed they will use Cosworth V8s next
season after signing a wide-ranging partnership agreement with the
world-famous engine builders.
Williams have been considering engine options since current
partners BMW announced their purchase of Sauber. The new deal will
see the team and Cosworth collaborating not just on the engine, but
on the forthcoming FW28s entire drivetrain package, including
transmission, electronics, software and installation
architecture.
Williams used Cosworths legendary DFV V8 - still the most the
successful engine in Formula One history - back in the 1970s and
80s and the Northamptonshire-based company is already well
advanced in the development of its 2006 unit, which has routinely
exceeded 20,000 rpm during dyno testing.
"Cosworth is a leading global authority on V8 engine technology,
said team boss Frank Williams. Next year is a brand new start for
all concerned given 16 years of V10 engines. Some teams and
manufacturers have absolutely no experience of V8s while others
enjoy only limited experience. Cosworth, however, have excelled
both historically, as well as in contemporary V8-powered
international motorsport. The evidence of Cosworth's V8 progress we
have seen so far validates completely the expectation we have of
enjoying a class-leading package given next season's engine rule
changes."
Tim Routsis, Cosworth's CEO commented: "Our experience and track
record with V8 engines is unrivalled and we are naturally delighted
to be alongside one of the most uncompromising and pure-spirited
teams in Formula One. We have been working on the development of
next year's V8 since April 2004 and right from the onset, our
performance targets have been set very aggressively. We are
confident that our blue-chip partnership with WilliamsF1 can
augment the record of winning the championship every decade since
the 1960s. We have developed the 2006 Cosworth V8-CA engine with
nothing but front-running success in mind for both the near and
long-term. The involvement of Cosworth's sister company, Pi, has
been instrumental in achieving this outcome."
Patrick Head, Williams Director of Engineering, added: "Williams
has made this partnership decision purely on technical merit. Among
the range of options we considered, Cosworth are very well advanced
with existing development and are committed to taking the potential
of this collaboration further. Our engineers have already reflected
on the very productive and highly motivated nature of the
relationship between our two organisations. We speak the same
racing language and both have something to prove next year and
there can be no greater motivation to succeed."
Cosworth currently power the Minardi and Red Bull teams, with the
latter due to switch to Ferrari customer engines in 2006.
