Williams to launch FW43B a week before F1 pre-season testing

Williams has announced it will unveil its 2021 Formula 1 car, the FW43B, a week before pre-season testing starts on Friday 5 March.

The British outfit became the fifth team to confirm its launch plans on Friday morning by revealing a date of 5 March for the presentation of its latest F1 challenger.

Williams’ launch will therefore take place exactly one week before pre-season testing commences in Bahrain, making it the last of the confirmed launches so far.

McLaren is currently scheduled to be the first team to reveal its 2021 F1 car, the MCL35M, on 15 February, before AlphaTauri takes the wraps of its AT02 machine on 19 February.

Alfa Romeo will head to Warsaw for its launch event of its C41 on 22 February, while reigning world champions Mercedes will reveal its W12 on 2 March, three days prior to Williams’ unveiling.

All F1 team launches are set to take place digitally this year, with physical presentations currently made impossible due to coronavirus-related restrictions.

Williams hopes its FW43B will help it climb up the F1 pecking order, having been anchored to the bottom of the constructors’ championship for the past two seasons.

2021 will mark the Grove outfit’s first season competing in F1 not being run by the Williams family following the takeover of Dorilton Capital last year.

Jost Capito will spearhead the team as its new CEO, with Simon Roberts taking on the team principal position on a full-time basis.

Williams will also have additional guidance from its former driver Jenson Button, who has been appointed as a senior advisor. Button’s role will see him provide support to race drivers George Russell and Nicholas Latifi.