Offered direct from the Williams Grand Prix Reserve Collection
The Ex-Thierry Boutsen, ex-Riccardo Patrese, 3rd place US Grand Prix
1990 Williams-Renault FW13B Formula 1 Racing Single-Seater
Chassis no. FW13B-07
Engine no. RS02 - 129

This beautifully presented Formula 1 Williams-Renault FW13-series car was the ultimate development of the first Renault V10-cylinder World Championship contender to be penned by Williams Technical Director Patrick Head and his well-drilled and intensely capable staff. The all-new original FW13 design had been created specifically around the innovative 67° V10-cylinder 3.5-litre Renault RS1 racing engine, and had appeared late in 1989 to contest the last four Grands Prix of that season.

Williams Grand Prix Engineering Ltd's chief designer on the project was Enrique Scalabroni – working under Patrick Head's direction - and with aerodynamics by Eghbal Hamidy, the FW13 featured a moulded carbon/Kevlar composite monocoque chassis notably more slender than the preceding Judd V8-powered FW12 model.

Initially it mated the French V10 engine to a transverse Williams/Hewland six-speed transmission, and featured double wishbone suspension front and rear. The tub's low front-end permitted the pushrod-operated front suspension spring/damper units to reside above the drivers' knees, while the original longer-term intention was for the car to run Williams's updated computer-controlled reactive suspension in 1990. The new car also featured small sidepods, lowline nose and a flattened oval engine airbox intake. It was a very attractive design.

As driven late in 1989 by Riccardo Patrese and Thierry Boutsen, the new Williams-Renault FW13 naturally took time to become competitive. By the end of the year, however, a prolonged test session with Patrese at Estoril had improved its handling significantly. Patrese led Boutsen to finish 2nd and 3rd in the Japanese Grand Prix, before in rain-drenched Adelaide Thierry Boutsen won the Australian GP, with Patrese third.

Much was thus expected from the Williams-Renault FW13B for 1990, this 'B-Spec' featuring aerodynamic and rear suspension advances, plus Renault's more powerful RS2 V10 power unit.

This particular car, chassis 'FW13B-07' was raced four times during 1990, being driven twice each by Thierry Boutsen and Riccardo Patrese. The best result for '07' came in the 1990 US GP in Phoenix, where Boutsen finished a fine 3rd behind the duelling Ayrton Senna and Jean Alesi.

At Interlagos, Brazil, Boutsen and Patrese qualified their FW13Bs 3-4, ahead of the Ferraris of Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost. In the race there, Boutsen's aggressive style pressed Senna's leading McLaren intensely – until the 30th lap - when the Belgian driver locked the car's brakes over a bump entering the pit lane, slid into Williams mechanic Richard Ford and then struck one of his own waiting fresh wheels. Ford was unharmed but the '07' required a new nose. Poor Boutsen finished 5th in a race he could well have won.

It was then Boutsen's spare car in Canada, France, Britain, Germany, Belgium and Portugal, and Patrese's spare in Mexico, Hungary, Italy and Spain, before he raced it in Japan and Australia.

At Suzuka he finished 4th, losing a podium place in a late stop for tyres. In Adelaide, he battled for 3rd place before an incident dropped him to 6th. Meanwhile, Patrese and Boutsen had won in sister FW13B cars at Imola and in Hungary.

The car is offered in excellent aesthetic condition, liveried as Canon Williams. It is effectively complete, save for the Magenti Marelli electrical boxes and, although the car is equipped with an extremely rare but genuine period Renault V10 engine, it is not currently running. It will however, be supplied with a certificate of authenticity signed by a senior team member and include a file of documentation including a representative selection of original engineering records and period photographs.

These were highly significant cars in the glittering history of the Williams Formula 1 team and, as offered here, with impeccable provenance – direct from Williams Grand Prix Engineering Limited's Reserve Collection. Today's auction represents the very first time this car has been released for Sale to the public. It is a genuine race car with Formula 1 Grand Prix – and indeed podium – history from one of the golden eras of a truly respected and admired team.

Please note this Lot will be subject to VAT at 5%.