Williams in trouble as FW48 delays force Barcelona test absence. Williams will miss the closed-door Barcelona shakedown after delays in the FW48 project.

F1 | Williams alarm: the FW48 is not ready yet and will miss the Barcelona tests

Williams will not take part in the closed-door Barcelona shakedown scheduled for next week due to delays accumulated during the development of the FW48, which completed its fire-up only a few days ago. According to reports, the Grove-based team struggled to pass the frontal crash test. In the meantime, car development will continue in the simulator.

Williams will therefore miss the Barcelona shakedown behind closed doors planned for next week. The Grove team confirmed this officially, explaining that delays in the FW48 program made it impossible to stick to the original timeline.

“Atlassian Williams F1 Team has decided not to participate in next week’s Barcelona shakedown test due to delays in the FW48 program, as we continue to push for maximum performance,” reads a statement released by the British squad, which will therefore start the season at a disadvantage compared to rivals who will benefit from three additional days on track.

“The team will instead carry out a series of tests, including a VTT program, with the 2026 car to prepare for the first official test in Bahrain and the season-opening race in Melbourne. We look forward to returning to the track in the coming weeks and thank the fans for their continued support: there is a lot ahead of us in 2026,” the team added, outlining its plans for the weeks to come.

Behind this decision lies a clear development delay. The FW48 completed its fire-up only a few days ago, making it the last car on the grid to undergo its first ignition. Other teams, such as Audi, had instead chosen to bring this step forward by completing the fire-up at the end of 2025, allowing them to carry out the shakedown already in early January.

This situation reflects the difficulties the team has faced in meeting its internal deadlines. According to sources, Williams encountered problems in passing the frontal crash test, a particularly delicate area that must now withstand two different impacts, one of the key regulatory changes for 2026. At the same time, teams are clearly trying to find solutions that are as light as possible.

This delay has inevitably slowed overall development, leaving the British team without enough time to prepare a complete car and the necessary spare parts to run in Barcelona next week. The setback weighs even more heavily considering that Williams effectively sacrificed the entire 2025 season to focus resources and personnel on the 2026 car, identified as the cornerstone of its technical and sporting revival.

The original goal was to arrive at the first tests with a solid and already validated package, but reality has forced a change of strategy. In the coming weeks, work will continue mainly at the factory and in the simulator, with virtual testing aimed at recovering some of the lost time before heading to Bahrain for the second pre-season test session, following the Barcelona test.