Williams first team to unveil images of 2017 car

17 February 2017 10:24

Williams have become the first team to provide an insight into how cars will look in the new Formula One era after unveiling images of their 2017 challenger.

The sport has undergone a massive overhaul of its technical regulations over the winter in a bid to make the cars faster and more aggressive.

And while the British team will not officially take the wraps off their new car until February 25 - two days before the opening pre-season test in Barcelona - they released a short video of their 2017 design on Friday.

The cars will be bigger and heavier this year and are expected to place a greater physical demand on the drivers with lap times set to tumble by up to five seconds.

The tyres, which will continue to be supplied by Pirelli, will also be wider, with more mechanical grip, and the hope of a greater racing spectacle.

Williams, who finished fifth in the constructors' championship last season, will have a new driver line-up for the forthcoming campaign after Valtteri Bottas left to join Mercedes following Nico Rosberg's decision to quit the sport.

Felipe Massa, who announced he was retiring from Formula One only last September, is back racing for Williams this year. He will be joined by 18-year-old Canadian rookie Lance Stroll.

Meanwhile, technical director Paddy Lowe is also poised to join Williams after leaving Mercedes.

On Thursday night, deputy team principal Claire Williams refused to deny that Lowe, a key figure in Mercedes' recent domination of the sport, would be teaming up with them this year.

"Hopefully all the speculation will be over in the near term," Williams told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I can't comment whether Paddy is joining Williams or not. He is a fantastic technical director and any team would be really lucky to have him."

James Allison, the highly-rated British designer, was unveiled as Lowe's replacement by Mercedes yesterday.

The new season starts in Melbourne on March 26.

Source: PA