F1 1981

Belgium

The New F1 offered fully mechanical operation if electronics failed, or if your last battery died. Just pull out the battery, and the New F1 triggers the shutter with a mechanical link as in the past, and offers mechanical control of all speeds from the 1/90 x sync speed to the top 1/2000 speed. How is that for a backup plan? The 1981 season review video is disjointed and narrated rather poorly by the nevertheless very well-informed F1 pundit Simon Taylor. It’s a shame because aside from the politicking and the sad events of Zolder (where one mechanic was killed and another shockingly run over and injured during a chaotic race start) there was a lot of.

Chassis: FW07D-16

Season

F1 1981 Review

The Williams FW07 was a ground effect Formula 1 car designed by Patrick Head for the 1979 season. Adhering to a simple philosophy, Head created a small, light machine powered by the famously reliable Ford Cosworth DFV engine. The first evolution of the FW07 debuted during the 1979 season when Alan Jones took it to four grand prix victories.

Williams developed the FW07 further for the 1980 season by launching the FW07B. On-going work throughout the year improved the car’s ground effect and further enhanced its competitiveness. Jones would win a total of five races to secure the drivers’ world championship, while Williams also claimed the constructors’ crown.

F1 1981 Brazil

F1 1981

The FW07B quickly morphed into the FW07C for the 1981 season. Further work was carried out on the suspension after FIA rule changes banned the flexible side-skirts required for efficient ground effect.

Designated chassis number 16, this car was built in time for the 1981 campaign and appeared at six championship races in the hands of Jones. The Australian finished three of these on the podium thanks to a third place in the Netherlands, second in Italy and a famous victory at the US Grand Prix in Las Vegas.

For 1982 Williams developed the experimental FW07D. Chassis number 16 was given some of the upgrades that were fitted to the FW07D prototype before it went on to be driven in ‘82 by Carlos Reutemann (South Africa and Brazil) and Mario Andretti (Long Beach, USA).

F1 1981 Season Highlights Reutemann Youtube

Williams subsequently sold FW07-16 to Jacques Setton in 1984, along with two other FW07s. It remained in Setton’s ownership until March 2000 when it was sold to Roy Walzer.

F1 1981 Usa West

1981

Purchased by its current owner in 2011, this famous Williams is fully race-prepared and remains a front-running car in the right hands. Eligible for all of the finest historic Formula 1 races, it is fitted with a Geoff Richardson Ford Cosworth DFV engine and comes complete with current HTP papers. FW07-16 is now ready to be enjoyed by its lucky new custodian.