Williams FW13

The Williams FW13, designed by Enrique Scalabroni and Patrick Head arrived late in the 1989 season in preparation for a full campaign the following year.

The extremely compact Renault RS1 engine allowed the Williams FW13 to be significantly narrower than its predecessor. So narrow was it in-fact that the springs and dampers of the front suspension had to be mounted above of the drivers’ knees.

In pre-season testing the RS1 engine produced 600 bhp, but by the time the FW13 made its debut Renault were getting as much as 680 bhp from it.

It suffered a rather ignominious debut late in the 1989 season, when both cars retired from the Portugese Grand Prix due to a minor design flaw resulting in their radiators becoming clogged.

At the subsequent Grand Prix, only one Williams FW13 was in attendance, Riccardo Patrese preferring instead to use an old FW12 while the issues were addressed.

Once these problems were rectified the car proved to be very competitive indeed, yielding four podiums and a win in the final two Grands Prix of 1989.

For 1990 the revised FW13B was again considered one of the fastest in the field with its updated suspension, revised sidepods and next-generation Renault V10.

Williams’ equal driver policy meant that again, the points were shared between Thierry Boutsen and Patrese when perhaps a designated #1 would have allowed Williams to fare better in the World Drivers Championship, and thus demonstrating the true capability of their car.

This is perhaps the reason behind Williams’ decision to re-recruit Nigel Mansell for the following season.

History will show that despite their enormous potential, Williams finished 4th in the 1990 World Constructors Championship with 57 points and two wins.