The Grove-based team was unfortunately forced to skip the Barcelona tests due to delays in the development of the FW48. However, behind the scenes there is intense activity, with engineers working to replicate a parallel testing programme to the one originally planned in Spain, using test benches and the simulator.
Williams was sadly the only team forced to give up the first test session of the year, as delays in the development of the new car pushed the team to remain in Grove, watching from afar as rivals took to the track in Barcelona. It was a decision that was difficult to accept, especially considering that Williams had been among the first teams to focus effort and resources on the new technical cycle.
An opportunity to restart… but, for now, with a few setbacks. The engineers encountered difficulties in passing the front crash test, which has been made more severe this year because the structure must absorb two consecutive impacts. Team Principal James Vowles confirmed that all tests have now been successfully completed, but the delays accumulated during the production phase forced the team to stay in Grove.
A painful but necessary choice. The hope is that, even without running on track, the data collected by the other Mercedes-powered teams can offer an initial reference to assess the reliability of the Power Unit, as well as the gearbox for teams like Alpine and Williams itself, which use a transmission supplied by the Silver Arrows. From this initial data set, the FW48 study programme will take shape ahead of Bahrain.
It will exploit data from other Mercedes-powered teams
“I’m confident that we won’t be behind, and for one specific reason. We still have six days of testing available in generally dry conditions in Bahrain, and that will allow us to work in a representative way.”
“In addition, we are fortunate: we use the Mercedes Power Unit and the Mercedes gearbox. As a result, everything they are learning this week in Barcelona will transfer directly to us as well, heading into Bahrain,” James Vowles added. However, while it is true that the Mercedes PU has already covered many kilometres in Barcelona, Williams will still need to evaluate the overall reliability of the FW48.
This is where an interesting aspect emerges. Even without being able to put the FW48 on track, the engineers are working intensively behind the scenes, trying to turn this situation into an opportunity. Alongside the usual simulator work with the drivers, there is in fact a series of “dynamic” tests that can be carried out directly at the factory, allowing deeper analysis of several reliability-related aspects.
Replicating the Barcelona tests with VTT runs
Before going on track, there is an entire phase of work that takes place on dynamic benches, known as VTTs, or Virtual Test Track systems. Essentially, the car is mounted on the rig and the characteristics of a specific circuit are replicated — accelerations, braking phases, bumps, and loads acting on certain components — recreating what would actually happen on track… while remaining inside the factory.
The wings are not present, but the chassis, engine, gearbox and the entire braking system are installed and tested using dedicated robotic systems. In this controlled environment, engineers can characterise the cooling system and run the Power Unit and transmission under load, even without the lateral forces typical of real track conditions.
It is possible to simulate different scenarios, including temperature variations, using the same control software that would normally be used at the track to evaluate how the Power Unit and the rest of the car behave. Clearly, this cannot be compared directly to on-track running, but it still represents a valuable opportunity to accumulate data on energy management, cooling, electronics and the efficiency of the various systems. For this reason, this phase usually precedes and accompanies the launch of a new car.
Focus on cooling to avoid a repeat of 2025 issues
“VTT testing is very useful, especially when it comes to the cooling system. At the moment we are using a configuration that is very different from those designed and adopted in the past, and this allows us not only to optimise current learning and make the most of it, but also to gather valuable indications for the future,” Vowles explained, outlining how the team is trying to compensate for the lack of track testing.
Looking back a few months, in 2025 the team suffered from several reliability issues linked to temperature management, to the point of being forced to retire from multiple Grands Prix to avoid failures. These critical issues pushed the engineers to revise certain areas of the project, and with cooling becoming an even more central topic in 2026, Williams is keen to ensure that the same problems do not arise again.
“We must not forget that last year we had some reliability problems, and I wanted to be certain that they were completely resolved, while also obtaining useful data on the size and packaging of the system in its future evolutions. From this point of view, the VTT has been extremely valuable,” James Vowles confirmed, referring directly to what happened last season.
The virtual testing phase usually precedes the official car launch and is crucial, especially when certain design solutions need to be validated or when the behaviour of the complete car must be verified. McLaren, for example, placed the MCL40 on AVL test benches before heading to Barcelona, in order to check a series of key parameters ahead of its first real on-track appearance.
This approach is also a way to gather behavioural data that can be integrated with simulator results and with information collected during track testing. In Williams’ case, however, the entire preparatory phase has inevitably been extended, with the hope that such an in-depth programme will at least allow the team to “virtually” recover part of the work that could not be carried out in Barcelona.
“Normally a VTT is used, but not for such a long period nor with such a deep programme as the one we are running now,” Vowles added, noting that this type of testing is not subject to the same strict limitations as aerodynamic tools such as CFD and the wind tunnel. In the meantime, the drivers have also completed the seat fitting on the new car, while continuing simulator sessions to progress the FW48 development programme.
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