Williams believes new F1 floor rules could help it
Williams thinks there is a chance that new floor rules for 2021 could help it make further progress up the Formula 1 grid.

As part of a number of regulation tweaks coming for this year aimed at cutting downforce to help lessen the stress put on tyres, teams will have to deal with tighter restrictions around the floor areas.
In particular, they will be required to cut away a section of the floor ahead of the rear tyre and will be banned from using slots in this region.
Teams have been exploiting this area of the car for some time, to help better feed air through the diffuser for added downforce.
With the top outfits potentially exploiting the floor designs better than the smaller teams, because of the vast resource needed to fully understand this complex area, Williams suspects that removing it will even things out for everyone.
And that means there is a chance that top teams like Mercedes and Red Bull could be hindered more by losing the benefits of this area than some outfits further down the order.
Read Also:
Williams’ head of vehicle performance Dave Robson thinks the change could well be quite significant, and may be good news for his outfit.
“It is a major change to the floor, particularly that area close to the rear tyre,” he said. “It is an area where we suspect we're not class leader, let's say, so hopefully for us it's less of a hit than some of those other teams.
“I think it is traditionally a very difficult area to understand, particularly how the floor will react to the tyre as it deforms and ages and wears.
“So hopefully it will have quite a big effect for the teams at the sharp end and perhaps less so for us. That's what we're hoping and hopefully there's some early indications from the running we did on Friday [in Abu Dhabi] that that might be the case.”
A number of outfits have already tested the new floor designs during Friday free practice sessions this year, to try to better understand the implications of the changes.
The FIA is hoping that the new 2021 rules will cut downforce levels by around 10 percent, with cars set to be further slowed by more robust tyres from Pirelli.
Related video

Previous article
Tsunoda will push Gasly within a few races, predicts Carlin
Next article
McLaren "very proud" of Norris mental health work

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Teams | Williams |
Author | Jonathan Noble |
Williams believes new F1 floor rules could help it
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end
The mantra Ocon must follow to challenge Alonso at Alpine
OPINION: It's been an uneasy ride for Esteban Ocon since his F1 comeback - and fresh challenges lie in wait as he's joined by double world champion Fernando Alonso in the newly rebranded Alpine team. STUART CODLING sets out a roadmap to success…
Why Haas is willing to sacrifice its 2021 F1 season
Every Formula 1 team is facing the same difficult decision this season: how do you split precious aero development time between the current car and the all-new 2022 project?
The big questions of F1 2021 - Karun Chandhok
After an unprecedented season last year, there are plenty of questions and storylines for the upcoming Formula 1 campaign. Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok gives his verdict.
How McLaren F1’s new investors have already made an impact
The deal McLaren concluded with MSP Sports Capital last year which will help the cash-strapped Formula 1 team pay for much-needed infrastructure upgrades, also points toward the future for F1 itself, says GP Racing's Stuart Codling.