Williams withdraws from 2026 Barcelona shakedown as FW48 delays bite

F1 Grand Prix, GP Mexico, Autódromo Hermanos Rodriguez

Williams has confirmed it will not take part in next week’s 2026 Formula One shakedown test at the Circuit de Barcelona‑Catalunya, citing delays in the development of its FW48 chassis. The decision marks the first major disruption of the new‑era pre‑season and places the Grove‑based team on the back foot as the sport transitions to radically revised technical regulations.

In a statement released on Friday, the team said it had “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.”

The announcement ends days of speculation about the readiness of Williams’ 2026 challenger, which has been undergoing an intensive development cycle to meet the demands of the new power unit architecture and active aerodynamic systems.

Instead of running on track in Spain, Williams will conduct a series of alternative evaluations, including a virtual track testing (VTT) programme with the 2026 car. According to the team, these sessions are intended to accelerate correlation work and ensure the FW48 is in a representative state ahead of the first official pre‑season test in Bahrain.

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

The team added that it is “looking forward to getting on track in the coming weeks” and expressed gratitude to supporters as it navigates the final phase of car completion.

Missing the Barcelona shakedown means Williams will forfeit valuable early mileage at a time when teams are desperate to understand the behaviour of the new‑generation cars. With the 2026 regulations introducing a 50/50 split between internal combustion and electrical power, active aero devices, and a revised chassis concept, early data gathering is expected to be more important than in any recent season.

Drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz will now rely entirely on the Bahrain tests for their first laps in the FW48, compressing their preparation into a narrower window and increasing the pressure on the team to arrive with a reliable baseline package.

Williams has faced pre‑season delays before, most notably in 2019, but the team insists the current situation reflects an intentional prioritisation of performance rather than organisational instability.

Under its current leadership and with strengthened technical structures, the team has been pushing aggressively to maximise the competitiveness of its first car under the new ruleset.