Williams issues statement confirming Barcelona test absence

Williams has issued a statement confirming it will miss the Barcelona shakedown next week.

Williams will miss the start of pre-season testing in Barcelona, with the new FW48 not yet ready to take to the track, the team has confirmed.

Williams to have a delayed start to the F1 2026 season

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Williams’ new FW48 will not take to the track at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya next week, with the team going through delays stemming from an initial struggle to get the new chassis through the FIA crash tests – tests it has since passed.

On Friday, the team released a social media post to confirm the first fire-up of the new car, and it’s understood that the delays in preparing the car are entirely unrelated to the power unit and its installation.

A team address is believed to have taken place at the Grove factory that houses the Williams’ F1 facility, in which staff members were informed of the situation and the path forward for Williams.

“Atlassian Williams F1 Team has taken the decision not to participate in next week’s shakedown test in Barcelona following delays in the FW48 programme as we continue to push for maximum car performance,” read a short statement from the team.

“The team will instead conduct a series of tests, including a VTT programme (virtual test track) next week with the 2026 car, to prepare for the first official test in Bahrain and the first race of the season in Melbourne.

“We are looking forward to getting on track in the coming weeks and want to thank all our fans for your continued support – there is a lot to look forward to together in 2026.”

It’s been suggested that Williams is not the only team that will struggle to make the start of testing in Barcelona, where the five-day event is set to serve as an extended shakedown – particularly for those who have yet to carry out a filming or demonstration day.

Williams’ absence from the first test is the second time in recent years that it has had a compromised start to testing. Under its previous ownership and management, when led by the Williams family in 2019, the squad also missed the first two days of testing in Barcelona in what proved to be a hugely troubling year for the squad.

However, under the stewardship of team boss James Vowles, the squad has shown steady improvement year-on-year since being sold to new owner, Dorilton Capital, in 2020.

The team is set to race with an unchanged driver line-up of Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz.

Williams is scheduled to reveal its new look on February 3rd, having planned on running a bespoke testing livery for the Barcelona outing.

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