1993 Championship-Winning Williams FW15C Joins Melbourne F1 Exhibition

The iconic Williams FW15C, the dominant car of the 1993 Formula 1 season, is now on display at the official F1 Exhibition in Melbourne. Driven by Alain Prost to his fourth and final world championship, the technologically advanced machine helped Williams-Renault secure both titles with 10 wins and 15 poles from 16 races, cementing its place as one of the sport's most sophisticated creations.

Why it matters:

The FW15C represents a peak of technical innovation in F1, a moment before regulations reined in such extreme development. Its display connects fans with a pivotal era and showcases the engineering arms race that defines the sport's history. For a current exhibition, it serves as a tangible benchmark of progress, illustrating how far—and in some ways, how similarly—F1 technology has evolved over three decades.

The details:

• Dominant Performance: The car was so far ahead of its time that Prost nicknamed it “a little Airbus.” It regularly out-qualified rivals by over 1.5 seconds, and the Williams team scored double the points of runner-up McLaren in 1993.
• Technical Revolution: Designed by Adrian Newey and Patrick Head, the FW15C was a rolling laboratory featuring computer-controlled active suspension, traction control, ABS braking, semi-automatic and fully automatic gearbox modes, power steering, and fly-by-wire throttle systems.
  • This suite of driver aids was so comprehensive that the majority of these systems were banned outright for the 1994 season, reshaping the technical regulations.
• Cultural Icon: Beyond its performance, the car is instantly recognizable for its striking livery, which features the legs of sponsor Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog character running along the side of the cockpit.
• Exhibition Context: The FW15C replaces Jack Brabham’s 1966 championship-winning Brabham BT19 at the Melbourne display. It now sits alongside other significant cars including Alan Jones’s 1980 Williams FW07B, Jenson Button’s 2003 BAR Honda, Sebastian Vettel’s 2011 Red Bull RB7, and Kimi Räikkönen’s 2013 Australian GP-winning Lotus E21.

What's next:

The FW15C will be a centerpiece attraction for visitors to the F1 Exhibition at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre, which runs until April 19, 2026. Its presence underscores the exhibition's mission to balance celebrating F1's technological heritage with the human stories and broader cultural impact of the sport, offering fans a direct link to one of its most dominant and technically extravagant chapters.