Cosworth is well known in the automotive world and not just for road-going concerns but for motorsports as well. The famous Cosworth DFV engine powered Formula 1 cars right up until the 1980s, and today they are the master of helping run heritage machines. And one of the racing teams whom they help out with is that of Williams Formula 1. Let's see how Cosworth is integral to keeping old F1 cars run like new.
The Heritage Division
Williams Heritage is the division of the Williams Formula 1 team that specializes in the running of the team's classic Formula 1 vehicles. This includes machines such as the 1992 FW14B and the 1995 FWS17 that won multiple races at the hands of Damon Hill and David Coulthard. The team itself has gone through hard times thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, so maintaining the classic machines has been tough. But the team is still able to run these cars thanks to the support of Cosworth.
It is not the easiest thing in the world to get one of these cars back up and running again. One of the trickiest parts is getting the electronics to work, as they need to be reverse engineered to work with the latest control units that are designed for more modern machines. Once that is sorted, the engineers from Cosworth can check over the engine's hardware and review it, giving the engine a base map to work with.
A Fully Functioning Car
Other things that need to be done include chassis integration, mainly around the suspension and gearbox systems to get those up and running. And at the end of all that, you get a fully functioning classic Formula 1 car that can wow the crowds, as happened in Florida earlier this year. This allows the Williams Heritage customers to enjoy the sights and sounds of some of the best of Formula 1 racing.
Source: Cosworth