With the move to Bridgestone tyres in 2007, Williams seemed to get the bias right, producing a low-drag car with a good weight distribution.
The changes in design emphasis led to an "upswing" in performance, according to Patrick Head. The foundations built for 2006 should reap rewards in 2008, as the team has a good aero platform and mechanical layout.
When it first appeared in testing, initial impressions were that the car was largely unchanged for 2008. There were a few obvious updates around the sidepods, but largely it appeared to be the car the team ran in late 2007. Yet as testing has progressed, several new features and one innovation have emerged.