Getty Images After protests from many of their rival Formula One teams, Williams have decided to change the design of their exhaust system to meet FIA regulations.
Having unveiled their car at the second test in Barcelona, attention was drawn to the design of the exhaust on the FW35, with Caterham’s similar design also coming under close scrutiny.
The exhaust appeared to contain turning vanes within the coanda tunnel. These are outlawed by the FIA, who inspected the car at the first test in Barcelona nine days ago. Not wishing to bring their new car into disrepute, Williams have elected to revert to a vane-free exhaust.
Talking to Autosport, Williams’ chief engineer Xevi Pujolar confirmed the move.
“Yeah, we have made some modifications and now it is finished. We have changed it and that is it.”
It was a radical move by the team, especially given the reaction to Caterham’s exhaust design at the first test in Jerez. Over 80% of the car was redesigned for 2013, and it appears that the changes have been fruitful following Valtteri Bottas’ good showing in Barcelona today. The flying Finn spoke to his team following the session about his progress.
“It was a good day overall and we had no problems with the car.
“It’s a shame we were disrupted a bit by the wet weather, although this did allow us to run on the wet, intermediate and dry tires.”
Williams will be looking to bridge the gap to the front runners in 2013, building upon their 2012 success that saw Pastor Maldonado take their first win in seven years at the Spanish Grand Prix. By clearing their new exhaust with the FIA, they will not face any uncertainty heading to the Australian Grand Prix on March 17th.
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Target Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon is next up in the 2013 series of INDYCAR 36 shows on NBC Sports Network, produced by IMS Productions. The crew followed Dixon at Texas two weeks ago, and it will air on Thursday night, June 20, at 11 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Texas offers more downtime than most events…
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It’s “scandal eve” in Formula One, as the results of Mercedes’ secret tire test at Barcelona will be revealed at an FIA Tribunal on Thursday. With “Tiregate” first and foremost on the minds of the F1 paddock, it’s nice that it’s been a few years since such a political scandal has emerged. We take a…
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This weekend marks the 90th anniversary of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, one of the most prestigious races worldwide. Here’s a few tidbits on what has made it what it is, and what to expect for this year’s running on June 22-23. A further resource guide with race times, schedules and a spotters guide,…
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AP
Patrick Dempsey is back at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. That sentence is enough to make the entire French countryside swoon. The actor’s racing career has really taken off in the last five years since his initial appearance at the Circuit de la Sarthe in 2009. He raced a GT2-class Ferrari F430 to…
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One week after he tragically was killed in a dirt track racing crash in New Jersey, the motorsports world said goodbye to Jason Leffler on Wednesday. An overflow crowd packed Grace Covenant Church in Cornelius, N.C., for Leffler’s funeral service. About 600 miles to the north, Indianapolis Motor Speedway paid tribute to Leffler by illuminating…
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NASCAR and Formula One have embraced social media. But IndyCar is struggling to keep up with its motorsports counterparts. In a Wednesday story on IBJ.com, Indianapolis Business Journal sports reporter Anthony Schoettle gives a social media breakdown that shows IndyCar is trailing in the Twitter world. “In terms of Twitter followers, NASCAR is king, with…
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BMX rider gives new meaning to passing (over) a Red Bull F1 car
Jun 19, 2013, 1:40 PM EDT
Danny MacAskill isn’t a household name in the world of motorsports, but he’s a star when it comes to doing outlandish stunts on his BMX bicycle. The Island of Skye (part of Great Britain) native can do things on two wheels that most people can’t do on four wheels — or even two legs, for…
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For the second year in a row, the Iowa Corn Indy 250 field will be determined by a series of heat races. Wanting to make some changes to their usual oval qualifying format – and perhaps nodding to the state of Iowa’s strong heritage of short-track racing – INDYCAR instituted the heat format last season…
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Reuters
On the surface, Tuesday’s announcement by International Speedway Corp., promising a palatial $400 million makeover of Daytona International Speedway sounded great. But the fact the track will have 46,000 less seats once the project is completed in 2016 — a decrease of more than 30,000 from its current capacity of 147,000 — has caused at…
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As NASCAR’s Nationwide Series prepares for its fourth go-round on the challenging and twisting 4.05-mile, 14-turn road course at Road America in central Wisconsin this Saturday, a report Wednesday suggests that Indy cars may soon return there, perhaps as early as next season. SpeedTV.com’s Robin Miller reported that the open-wheel series is considering hosting a…
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NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace was wise to mimic Richmond International Raceway when it came time for him to help design the Iowa Speedway in the early 2000s. Like RIR, Iowa is a short track that “thinks” like a superspeedway and boasts a decent amount of banking that enables drivers to embrace that mentality as well.…
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Alex Kennedy attempts Sprint Cup debut, will drive Jason Leffler’s car
Jun 19, 2013, 10:23 AM EDT
There may be a new name on the 43-car starting grid of Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 Sprint Cup race at Sonoma Raceway. That is if New Mexico native Alex Kennedy manages to qualify the No. 19 MediaMaster/Dream Factory Toyota on the twisting 12-turn, 1.99-mile road course. Driving for Humphrey Smith Racing, Kennedy, 21, hopes to…
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As the IZOD IndyCar Series returned to the NBC Sports Network for this past weekend’s Milwaukee IndyFest, so too did we check in with our resident NBCSN driver analyst Townsend Bell for his take on the 250-lapper at the historic Milwaukee Mile. Since Bell’s last “Ten with Townsend” after Brazil, he’s finished fourth in the GT…
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Brian Vickers to attempt grueling dual road-course weekend
Jun 18, 2013, 8:58 PM EDT
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Brian Vickers loves to race, any time, anywhere. He also loves to travel. He’ll get more than his share of both this weekend, as he’s the only driver who will attempt to race in Saturday’s Nationwide Series Johnsonville Sausage 200 (no, we’re not making that name up) at Road America and then double up by…
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Nationwide Series crew member Ryan Hess suspended for second time in 10 months
Jun 18, 2013, 7:37 PM EDT
Nationwide Series crew member Ryan Hess has been suspended by NASCAR for the second time in 10 months for failing a random drug test, the sanctioning body announced Tuesday. In a brief statement, NASCAR said: “Ryan Hess, a crew member in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning…
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Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards have apparently toned down their post-race rhetoric against each other following Biffle’s win Sunday at Michigan International Speedway. “We’re going to sit down and talk about it, just expectations, what can you do to help another competitor,” Biffle said during NASCAR’s weekly media teleconference call on Tuesday. “I’ve backed up…
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Boston fanfest set to promote NHRA drag racing’s first-ever race in New Hampshire
Jun 18, 2013, 5:52 PM EDT
When New Hampshire Dragway opened its doors in 1966, its goal was to eventually play host to a National Hot Rod Association national event. It may have taken nearly 50 years to fulfill that goal, but drag racing fans wanting to see the sport’s biggest stars will finally get that opportunity in this weekend’s inaugural…
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Daytona International Speedway to get major facelift, eliminate 46,000 seats
Jun 18, 2013, 4:43 PM EDT
Illustration courtesy of Daytona International Speedway.
Big changes are on the way for NASCAR’s most famous racetrack, Daytona International Speedway, with the most significant facelift since the track opened 54 years ago in 1959. Home of the season-opening Daytona 500 and the early July Coke Zero 400, the track will undergo a multi-phase update that will break ground July 5, the…
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Forget driving or flying to Sonoma NASCAR race: take the train
Jun 18, 2013, 3:59 PM EDT
You’ve heard of the Chattanooga Choo-Choo, the Orange Blossom Special and the Wabash Cannonball. Now you can add the NASCAR Express to the list, as fans attending this weekend’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/SaveMart 350 race and activities at Sonoma Raceway will have a rather unique way to say they’ve arrived — at the racetrack,…
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Sonoma Raceway to honor memory of late PR chief John Cardinale
Jun 18, 2013, 3:17 PM EDT
Sonoma Raceway will honor its late public relations director, John Cardinale, during this weekend’s 25th Toyota/SaveMart 350 activities. Cardinale passed away in March after a two-year fight with stage IV gastric cancer. He had worked at the track since 1998 and was promoted to Vice President of Media and Community Relations in 2003, a post…
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