By the German Grand Prix, the 1994 Williams FW16 was incrementally updated and labelled FW16B following Ayrton Senna's fatal Imola crash. This version featured a longer wheelbase, revised front and rear wing, shortened sidepods, and the compulsory opened rear on the airbox and cowling. The shortened sidepods arose due to a necessity to use larger bargeboards after the front wing endplate diffusers were banned.

After the conclusion of the 1994 season, a modified version of the car called FW16C was fitted with a 3-litre engine per the 1995 F1 regulations and sported the new 1995 livery and sponsors (hence SANYO sponsorship replacing Segafredo).

This very bargeboard was track used between December 20th and 22nd in 1994 at Circuit Paul Ricard by Damon Hill, Jean-Christophe Boullion, and Emmanuel Collard.

The FW16B Renault 3.5L and FW16C Renault 3.0L were later tested again, at Estoril between January 16th and 20th, 1995 by David Coulthard and Jean-Christophe Boullion.