Search for perfect car 'will never end'

Williams’ director of engineering Patrick Head believes that the search for the perfect racing car will never end.

Formula One teams are constantly developing cars as they strive to make the chassis lighter or the engine more powerful to be more competitive on the race track.

But at the same time teams have to pay attention to cost, with Head believing that making improvements to the car must balance out financially.

“The moment your brain tells you that you’ve made or done something perfect, that is the same moment when you stop making development,” said Head.

“Keith Duckworth, the legendary engine builder, once said that it would be impossible to build a three-litre racing engine with more than 500bhp. Now we’re producing engines with more than 900bhp.

“You have to be careful, to make sure that all the parameters weigh-up. Making the car lighter by a couple of grams might not be cost effective - for a whole kilo we’d do almost anything.”