Williams stuns the paddock: FW48 weight revealed to be much lower than rumored. Against all odds, Williams reveals a surprisingly light FW48 for the 2026 F1 season.

Williams has officially unveiled its new challenger for the 2026 F1 season, while also revealing the technical specifications and weight of the FW48.

The car that has dominated off-track headlines over the last few weeks has finally been presented. Amidst rumors of excessive weight, production delays, and failed crash tests, the new Williams for the 2026 Formula 1 season has finally come to life. It has been a turbulent winter for James Vowles, who likely imagined anything but starting this new regulatory era on the back foot.

The primary hurdle for the new FW48 was significant: it repeatedly failed the FIA’s mandatory crash tests for homologation. The team only successfully passed the tests last week, while the other nine teams were already busy completing the first pre-season sessions in Barcelona. These setbacks led many to believe the car would be far from the 768kg weight limit, but a major surprise was in store.

A massive surprise for the paddock

Despite all these difficulties, Williams has managed to bring the weight of the FW48 remarkably close to the minimum limit. In recent days, paddock rumors suggested a car that was heavily overweight, with estimates reaching as high as 30kg over the limit. However, the official technical data sheet from the launch reveals a shocking figure: the new car weighs in at 772.4kg.

This news has stunned industry insiders. Based on these figures, the Williams is practically the same weight as the new Mercedes W17 and only about two kilograms heavier than Ferrari, Audi, and Alpine—teams currently considered the frontrunners in terms of weight-saving efficiency. This context sheds a new light on James Vowles’ positive outlook, even after the team was forced to skip the initial tests in Barcelona.

The weight declared by Williams is certainly unexpected and puts the Grove-based squad firmly back into the conversation for the 2026 F1 championship. Fans and the team alike now hope for a smooth path ahead with no further setbacks before the upcoming tests in Bahrain.