Rubens Barrichello, the most experienced driver in the history of the sport, joins the team alongside new GP2 Series champion Nico Hulkenberg. With Toyota gone, it’s all change on the engine front as well, with Williams returning to its old friends at Cosworth for V8 power. The season starts slowly for the team, but a performance upgrade at the European Grand Prix transforms the pace of the FW32. Barrichello finishes fourth at Valencia and he’s a regular points scorer for the remainder of the season. Hulkenberg gets up to speed quickly in the sister FW32 and the highlight of his year comes at the penultimate race in Brazil. He gives Williams its first pole position since the Nurburgring in 2005 and he comes home in eighth place. The team pips Force India by one point in the constructors’ championship to bag sixth place overall.
STATISTICS
Car: FW32
Engine: Cosworth V8
GPs Contested: 19
Wins: 0
Podiums: 0
Poles: 1
Fastest Laps: 0
Constructors Championship: 6th, 69 points.
Drivers Championship: Barrichello, 10th; Hulkenberg, 14th
FASTEST LAPS
0
POLES
1
WINS
0
PODIUMS
0
CAR
FW32
ENGINE
Cosworth V8
SEASON HIGHLIGHT
Rubens' fourth place in Valencia. "The car is much better," hedeclared after the race. "I think we made a big breakthrough here."
DID YOU KNOW?
Frank Williams is honoured at the BBC’s annual Sports Personality of the year awards. He wins the Helen Rollason award to add to his list of accolades.