WilliamsF1 today released details of an interim winter livery that the team will carry over the December and January tests ahead of the launch of a wholesale change of the team’s identity on January 27, 2006.

Fashioned on a base palette of midnight blue with white detailing, the FW27C will carry the white flying chevrons and white nose flash that graced Frank Williams Racing cars in the late 1960’s and the early 1970’s prior to the formation of Williams Grand Prix Engineering in 1977. The livery came to prominence in 1969 on Piers Courage’s Brabham BT26.

This livery re-connects Williams with its lengthy pedigree which extends over three decades. The team will run in these colours until the team’s new identity and livery is revealed on Friday January 27, 2006 when the FW28 is launched at the team headquarters near Oxford, UK.

The team takes to the track in Barcelona tomorrow (Tuesday) for an all-important debut run with new Cosworth V8 technology to meet the 2006 technical regulations. In addition to marking the first on-track activity with the team’s new engine partner, tomorrow’s test will also mark first time in five seasons that the team has taken to the track on Bridgestone tyres.

The team has confirmed that recently-crowned World Touring Car Champion, Andy Priaulx, would be joining the team to assist with the first winter test in Barcelona at the Circuit de Catalunya in Spain. Priaulx will assist regular drivers Mark Webber and Nico Rosberg, pending the nomination of a full-time test driver for the 2006 season.