Williams delivers big changes to FW40 in Hungary test

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In a bid to boost the decreasing performance of its FW40, Williams will implement some big changes to its car which will be trialed in this week's in-season test in Hungary.

The Grove-based outfit has been losing ground recently to its mid-field rivals, and while it's still fifth in the Constructors' standings, reviving the car's pace is necessary to remain ahead of close followers Toro Rosso, Haas and Renault.

The changes, labeled as experimental but significant by Williams tech boss Paddy Lowe, involve both aerodynamic and mechanical modifications.

"There are some fairly significant bits that we're trying," said Lowe.

"We're doing some interesting bits of R&D. Some are relevant for this year, but some are things we need to learn and understand for next year. There's some important work going on, actually.

"It's a set of experiments, that's the best way to put it, which is how we always conduct our testing. Where that leaves us in terms of what we take racing is a downstream consideration."

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The Hungarian GP last weekend was another reality test for Williams, which knew beforehand that its car would likely struggle on the tight, twisty and low-downforce lay-out.

"I just said to the guys that's a good weekend to motivate us to make a quicker car," explains Lowe.

"I think that's the best way to sum it up – we've got a lot of work to do, and we need to be better than that. And we can be better that. So that's what we'll go away and do.

"There's a pretty clear pattern, we're not performing as we should at what you would call the max downforce circuits, so those are Monaco, Hungary and Singapore.

But I'm never one to give up before we've got there, so we'll see what we can do for Singapore. A lot of it is about fundamental design aspects that we'll have to wait for another year."

As Felipe Massa recovers from his illness, Lance Stroll has bee entrusted with testing today in Budapest while rookie Luca Ghiotto will take over duties tomorrow.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.