Method 1 sees extremely strung athletes compete week in, week out on a number of the most demanding race tracks all over the world. The races aren’t at all times plain crusing, and the 2024 Brazilian Grand Prix was a nightmare for the Williams staff with each its drivers crashing out in spectacular type. Now, the staff has lifted the lid on the way it repairs and rebuilds vehicles which might be destroyed on a race weekend.
Final time F1 went racing in Brazil, the rain was pouring down on virtually each session over the grand prix weekend. The difficult situations noticed Williams racer Alex Albon crash out in qualifying and fail to start out the race, whereas teammate Franco Colapinto crashed through the race as nicely.
This meant that crates of smashed wings, damaged brakes and different trashed items of Method 1 vehicles had been shipped from Brazil again to the Williams base within the UK for the staff to try to salvage. In a brand new video shared by the staff, the Grove-based outfit has proven the method of unpacking the 2 trashed racers to spotlight the repairs and rebuilds that may be carried out on these priceless machines.
The method begins with crates and crates of components arriving on the Williams base. From there, the fragments of F1 automobile are sorted into piles of components that may nonetheless be used and components that belong within the trash. Mechanics haul swiftly packed fragments of carbon fiber out of an enormous crate, and others maintain up exhaust pipes to point out the harm they sustained. From an outsider’s perspective, it appears like virtually all the pieces is destined for the trash.
That’s not the case, although, and engineers type by the piles to uncover elements that may be checked over and returned to the automobile. Different components are additionally put to at least one facet to be repaired earlier than they’ll race in anger as soon as once more.
At the moment of the season, when there are simply three races remaining and groups are nearing their finances cap, it’s particularly vital for smaller squads like Williams to restore as many elements as potential. Nonetheless, Williams fills one bin with trashed components and an engineer calls for one more to start out loading with rubbish.
“We’re attempting to separate what will be salvageable simply to assist us till the top of the yr,” says Rob Clayton, automobile meeting supervisor on the staff. “That’s the place we come into our personal.”
Whereas the salvaged components are sorted, serviced and made prepared for the subsequent race, the 2 crashed chassis are additionally inspected to verify that they’re secure to run as soon as once more.
To do that, groups take away all of the broken elements from the body, resembling suspension arms, and the crash constructions are completely inspected. To finish this job, Williams engineers have simply three days as as soon as it’s signed off as secure it needs to be fitted with the gearbox, gasoline cell and seat able to go racing in Las Vegas.
That entire course of takes the Williams staff slightly over every week to finish. The freight from Brazil arrives within the UK late on November 7 and departs for the U.S. the next Friday on November 14, explains Ben Howard, chief mechanic on the staff.
It would seem to be a monumental job, but it surely’s one which groups up and down the grid should full virtually each race weekend. Now, engineers will likely be laborious at work unpacking these elements as soon as once more on the garages in Vegas so the 2 vehicles are prepared for Free Follow 1 on the Las Vegas Grand Prix on November 21.
