Williams will mark the 40th anniversary of the team by naming its 2017 car the FW40 – meaning it will skip the FW39 designation.
It's the first time the team has missed out a number in its naming sequence, having started with the FW06 in 1978 for the first of its own designs. Previous to that, the team used a customer March 761 chassis during its debut season.
The first part of the naming pattern are the initials of co-founder Sir Frank Williams.
Speaking ahead of the team's 40th anniversary, deputy team principal Claire Williams said: "40 years ago Frank and Patrick created what would become one of the most iconic teams in the history of Formula One – Williams.
"We are immensely proud of what we have achieved during our long and illustrious history. We have experienced the most euphoric highs – reaching the pinnacle of the sport nine times as a Constructor and created seven Champion drivers; Alan Jones, Keke Rosberg, Nelson Piquet, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Damon Hill and Jacques Villeneuve.
"We have also experienced the lows; the heartache that the sport can cause and victories that have agonisingly slipped away.
"So much has changed in Formula One in the last 40 years but one thing remains the same, our passion for motorsport. We want to celebrate our passion, our achievements and our heritage with everyone who has made this journey possible – our fans, partners, media colleagues and the many friends we have made over the last four decades.
"Racing, it’s in our blood, it’s our DNA and has been since 1977. We are proud of that and that will never change."
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