Williams FW23
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| Category | Formula One | ||||||||
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| Constructor | Williams | ||||||||
| Designer(s) |
 Patrick Head (Technical Director) Gavin Fisher (Chief Designer) Geoff Willis (Chief Aerodynamicist) |
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| Predecessor | FW22 | ||||||||
| Successor | FW24 | ||||||||
| Technical specifications | |||||||||
| Chassis | Carbon-fibre monocoque | ||||||||
| Suspension (front) | Williams double wishbone, torsion bar, pushrod | ||||||||
| Suspension (rear) | Williams double wishbone, coil spring, pushrod | ||||||||
| Engine | BMW P80 2998 cc V10 (90°) naturally aspirated, 19,000 RPM | ||||||||
| Transmission | Williams 7-speed longitudinal semi-automatic sequential | ||||||||
| Fuel | Petrobras | ||||||||
| Lubricants | Castrol | ||||||||
| Tyres | Michelin | ||||||||
| Competition history | |||||||||
| Notable entrants | BMW Williams F1 Team | ||||||||
| Notable drivers | 5.  Ralf Schumacher6.  Juan Pablo Montoya
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| Debut | 2001 Australian Grand Prix | ||||||||
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| Constructors' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
| Drivers' Championships | 0 | ||||||||
The Williams FW23 was the car with which the Williams team competed in the 2001 Formula One season. It was raced in competition by Ralf Schumacher, who was in his third year with the team, and Juan Pablo Montoya, a previous Formula 3000 and CART champion who was making his F1 début.
2001 was Williams's second year with engine partners BMW, and the promise shown in 2000 translated into raw speed and some good results throughout the year, including the team's first win since 1997 at Imola. The powerful engine, well-designed chassis, the Michelin tyres' tendency to work well in hot conditions, and the efforts of two quick drivers resulted in a haul of four victories and the team's re-emergence at the top of the sport, alongside Ferrari and McLaren.
However, Williams were not able to mount a title challenge for several reasons. Firstly, the BMW engines were more unreliable than their rivals, resulting in a finishing rate of less than 50%. Secondly, the chassis was not so competitive on high-downforce tracks such as Monaco and the Hungaroring. Thirdly, both drivers made several mistakes, Montoya in particular as he came to terms with F1.
However, the team still finished a clear third in the Constructors' Championship, with 80 points.
FW23-05, 2001
FW23-05, rear view
() (results in bold indicate pole position)
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