Williams FW16

Williams FW16
Williams FW16B
Williams FW16C

Damon Hill driving the FW16B at the 1994 British Grand Prix
Category	Formula One
Constructor	Williams (chassis, transmission, electronics) Renault Sport (engine)
Designer(s)	Patrick Head (Technical Director) Adrian Newey (Chief Designer) Eghbal Hamidy (Chief Aerodynamicist) Bernard Dudot (Chief Engine Designer (Renault))
Predecessor	FW15C
Successor	FW17
Technical specifications[1]
Chassis	Carbon fibre and Aramid monocoque
Suspension (front)	Williams inboard torsion spring, double wishbone, operated by a push-rod bellcrank
Suspension (rear)	Williams inboard coil-spring, double wishbone, operated by a push-rod bellcrank
Axle track	Front: 1,670 mm (66 in) Rear: 1,590 mm (63 in)
Wheelbase	2,920 mm (115 in)
Engine	Renault RS6 / RS6B / RS6C, 3,498 cc (213.5 cu in), 67° V10, NA, mid-engine, longitudinally mounted
Transmission	Williams transverse 6-speed sequential semi-automatic
Power	790–830 hp (589.1–618.9 kW) @ 14,300 rpm 340 lb⋅ft (461.0 N⋅m) of torque
Fuel	Elf
Tyres	Goodyear
Competition history
Notable entrants	Rothmans Williams Renault
Notable drivers	0. Damon Hill 2. Ayrton Senna 2. Nigel Mansell 2. David Coulthard
Debut	1994 Brazilian Grand Prix
First win	1994 Spanish Grand Prix
Last win	1994 Australian Grand Prix
Last event	1994 Australian Grand Prix
Races Wins Podiums Poles F/Laps 16 7 13 6 8
Constructors' Championships	1 (1994)
Drivers' Championships	0

The Williams FW16 is a Formula One car designed by Adrian Newey for the British Williams team. The FW16 competed in the 1994 Formula One season, with Williams winning the Constructor's Championship, and British driver Damon Hill finishing runner-up in the Drivers' Championship. It is notable as the last car to be driven by three-time world champion Ayrton Senna before his fatal accident during the San Marino Grand Prix. The car was designed around the major regulation changes that the FIA had introduced in the off-season, banning the various electronic devices that had been used by the front running cars during the preceding two seasons.

The FW16 was a passive evolution of the FW15C that had preceded it. It featured revised bodywork, including a low profile engine cover; taller sidepods; enclosed driveshaft; and an anhedral rear wing lower element, which was previously hinted at on the FW15C. In addition to these changes, the FW16 featured an innovative rear suspension wishbone design, an improved version of the Renault Sport Formula One engine (RS6), and a fuel valve to enable the ability for mid-race refuelling (a rule reintroduced for 1994).

As with the previous season, the number 0 car was driven by Damon Hill for the entire year. Only the defending champion had the right to use number 1 and reigning champion Alain Prost had left the sport. The number 2 car was driven by Ayrton Senna. Williams test driver David Coulthard filled in for most of the season but Williams also brought back Nigel Mansell, who had won them the drivers' title for them in 1992, when his Indycar commitments allowed. Although it was fast, the car proved to be a tricky proposition in early testing and in the early part of the season. The car had a number of problems that were not properly remedied: a design flaw was discovered in the car's frontal section and there were attempts to correct this in time for the ill-fated third race, at the San Marino Grand Prix.

Various other alterations were made by Newey and Patrick Head to alleviate the car's handling problems, such as the addition of bargeboards at the Spanish Grand Prix; the FIA-mandated modifications to the airbox at the Canadian Grand Prix; and shorter sidepods at the German Grand Prix. This heavily revised B-spec car was labelled the FW16B from the German race onwards and was much improved from the original car. It was developed by Hill, but the Benetton B194 and Michael Schumacher were dominant in the first half of the season.