Williams FW09
The Williams FW09 was a Formula One car designed by Frank Dernie and Neil Oatley. It was the first Williams chassis to be powered by a turbocharged Honda V6 engine, for which Frank Williams negotiated a deal towards the end of 1982 and the beginning of 1983.
The FW09B of Keke Rosberg at the Honda Collection Hall | |||||||||
| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Constructor | Williams | ||||||||
| Designer(s) | Patrick Head (Technical Director) Neil Oatley (Chief Designer) Frank Dernie (Head of Aerodynamics and R&D) Nobuhiko Kawamoto (Engine Designer (Honda)) | ||||||||
| Predecessor | FW08 | ||||||||
| Successor | FW10 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | Aluminium honeycomb monocoque with carbon fibre stress points | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Double wishbone, rocker-operated inboard spring damper | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Lower wishbone, rocker-operated inboard spring damper/Double wishbone, pullrod-operated inboard spring damper | ||||||||
| Axle track | Front: 1,778 mm (70.0 in) Rear: 1,676 mm (66.0 in) | ||||||||
| Wheelbase | 2,769 mm (109.0 in) | ||||||||
| Engine | Honda RA163E, 1,494 cc (91.2 cu in), 80° V6, turbo, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted | ||||||||
| Transmission | Williams / Hewland 6-speed Manual | ||||||||
| Weight | 558 kg (1,230.2 lb) (FW09) 540 kg (1,190.5 lb) (FW09B) | ||||||||
| Fuel | Mobil | ||||||||
| Tyres | Goodyear | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | TAG Williams Racing Team | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | 5. Jacques Laffite 6. Keke Rosberg | ||||||||
| Debut | 1983 South African Grand Prix | ||||||||
| First win | 1984 Dallas Grand Prix | ||||||||
| Last win | 1984 Dallas Grand Prix | ||||||||
| Last event | 1984 Portuguese Grand Prix | ||||||||
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| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
Honda was already supplying the small Spirit team for 1983, but was enthusiastic about supplying Williams, who not only had the reigning World Champion Keke Rosberg as lead driver, but were one of the leading constructors in Formula One who had previously won both the Drivers' and Constructors titles on two occasions, a résumé that neither Spirit nor their young Swedish driver Stefan Johansson could match. Williams had agreed to help develop the engine under Grand Prix race conditions. Spirit folded shortly afterwards.