The latest amazing Tony Matthews cutaway here at Motor City Garage is the 1991 Williams FW14. Designed by Adrian Newey, this F1 car blazed the way for the highly advanced—and highly successful—FW14B. Here’s Tony for the story behind the art.

 

Williams FW14/14B

by Tony Matthews

This cutaway is of the Williams FW14, a beautiful car which was not as successful as it should have been, and about which I can remember little, apart from the first visit being a waste of time.

When I arrived one car had gone to Silverstone with the test team, and the race team and cars had left early for Hockenheim. A phone call ensured that there would be an opportunity the following week, Tuesday, July 30, 1991, when the cars would be back from Germany to be stripped down before being re-built. As far as I can tell, I went, I saw, and I came away.

This, like most Williams that I illustrated, was not commissioned, but I was a fan of the team, loved the cars, and hoped that eventually I would illustrate all of them, but this did not pan out. However, I drew the FW07, FW09, FW11, this, the FW14, FW15C, FW18, FW19 and FW22, but I collected information on nearly all the ‘in-betweens’, up to the FW21, hoping that someday they would be completed. This includes the FW14B, which got as far as being drawn, and the colour artwork being started, before more pressing and paid work got in the way.

Unlike the FW14, there is a tale to tell about my visit to see the FW14B. The car, driven by Nigel Mansell, was so phenomenally quick that he won the World Championship early in the season, some time before my visit on September 15, 1992, and there was a fairly relaxed atmosphere in the beautiful, spacious workshop as two chassis were being fettled.

Sometimes during these sessions there would be moments when I had to pause while certain procedures were undertaken, and there was nothing new or salient to photograph. It was during one of these breaks that Frank Williams appeared, gently wheeling himself along in his chair, followed by Alan Challis, ex-BRM, and long-time Williams Chief Mechanic, but at this time in a managerial role, I believe.

As Mr. Williams glanced in my direction I felt the need to say something, anything. So I said, “Congratulations on the championship!”

He gave a very pleasant smile and said “Thanks, but it all seems a long time ago now!”

“I’m sure it does,” I said, and he moved on, as Alan gave me a cheesy grin. The pair circled the workshop and moved on to the adjoining shop, behind a full-height partition. My break over, I went back to work.

A while later Alan Challis reappeared, and came over to me, asking if I had everything I needed. I had, thanks, and then I said ”I didn’t know Frank knew who I was!”

To which Alan said with another grin “He didn’t! When we left he said ‘Who was that?’ and I said that’s Tony Matthews!” Frank’s reply had been ‘Oh, THAT’S Tony Matthews, is it?’”

Ego back to normal, then.

 

(click on image below to open high-resolution version; click on image again to enlarge it to full size) 

Text and images copyright Tony Matthews, all rights reserved. Used by permission. Be sure to see Tony’s other great cutaways at Mac’s Motor City Garage. Links open in new windows: 

Maserati 250F

Williams FW07 F1 car

Honda Accord BTTC racer

Ilmor Chevrolet 265A IndyCar engine