have withdrawn from subsequent week’s personal pre-season take a look at in Barcelona following “delays” to their automotive growth programme.
’s outfit, who boast a powerful driver pairing in and , have lengthy focused 2026 and this new set of laws as a 12 months to work their manner up the pecking order.
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But following studies that the group’s 2026 automotive, the FW48, had failed the FIA’s necessary crash exams, the group confirmed on Friday that they won’t be current on the shakedown occasion for all 11 groups subsequent week.
The information might be a blow to Sainz and Albon, leaving them simply six days of testing in Bahrain previous to the season-opener in Australia on 8 March.
A group assertion learn: “Atlassian Williams F1 Staff has taken the choice to not take part in subsequent week’s shakedown take a look at in Barcelona following delays within the FW48 programme as we proceed to push for optimum automotive efficiency.
“The group will as a substitute conduct a collection of exams, together with a VTT (Digital Take a look at Monitor) programme subsequent week, with the 2026 automotive to arrange for the primary official take a look at in Bahrain and the primary race of the season in Melbourne.
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“We’re trying ahead to getting on observe within the coming weeks and wish to thank all our followers in your continued help – there’s a lot to stay up for collectively in 2026.”
Williams completed a powerful fifth in final 12 months’s constructors’ championship, with Sainz recording two podiums in his first season with the Grove-based group. But Vowles emphasised that, regardless of the optimistic efficiency, the main focus was on this 12 months.
Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz won’t be current at subsequent week’s take a look at (Getty Photos)
“Above all else, an important 12 months is 2026,” he advised final 12 months. “It doesn’t matter the place we end within the championship in 2025. It’s not that I don’t care, I do care. However the on-track efficiency shouldn’t be an indicator of the stunning issues occurring at Williams.
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“And that’s not a pair of handcuffs we placed on ourselves. We have to see excellence coming into our organisation: one of the best graduates, infrastructure, and steady motion ahead in all areas.
“That’s the metric I stand by which is tangible, and I can management that shifting ahead.”
Williams are set to formally launch their 2026 automotive at their Oxfordshire manufacturing unit on Tuesday, 3 February.
