Williams takes first major step toward 2026 after early FW48 struggles. After overcoming early challenges with the FW48, Williams has made a key step toward the 2026 F1 season.

Following a challenging start with their new car, Williams has finally completed the first major step toward preparing for the 2026 Formula 1 season.

While most teams are busy at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, completing crucial mileage with their new cars and gathering vital data—particularly on the power unit—one team had to sit out this initial test session. That team is Williams, which, after encountering numerous technical problems, has now made a significant step forward in its 2026 preparations.

Why Williams didn’t hit the track in Barcelona

This week, F1 teams have had three days at the Barcelona circuit to test their new cars, all built under the updated 2026 regulations. From the start of the week, Williams was clear: the FW48 would not be running until the Bahrain test, scheduled from February 11 to 13.

Why the delay? Simply put, the car was not ready. After failing the initial crash test, engineers had to make adjustments to the chassis. At that stage, the car was still 20–30 kg above the minimum weight requirement of 768 kg. Team principal James Vowles reassured fans and the media, stating: “I am pleased to announce that we have now passed all necessary tests and are ready to race in Bahrain.”

The first important milestone toward 2026

Earlier today, Williams shared images on their social media showing a crucial step forward for the FW48. Carlos Sainz took his first ride in the car for a seat fitting, an essential procedure under the new regulations. With substantial changes imposed on the car’s geometry, every detail matters, and even the driver’s seating position in the cockpit requires careful attention to ensure both comfort and performance on track.

This milestone signals that, despite a delayed start, Williams is now officially back in the development game for 2026. The team can focus on refining the FW48’s performance ahead of the Bahrain test, where the car will finally hit the track and begin its pre-season program in earnest.

For Sainz, this marks the beginning of a crucial chapter as he integrates into the team during a period of intense technical transition. While missing the track time in Barcelona is undoubtedly a disadvantage in terms of data collection, the successful completion of the seat fit and the passing of crash tests signify that the worst of the manufacturing delays may be behind them. The focus now shifts entirely to Sakhir, where the FW48 will finally break cover and show if the extra time spent in the factory has allowed the team to mitigate their initial weight concerns. For a team looking to reinvent itself under the 2026 rules, the road to the season opener has been rocky, but the “Papaya” and “Blue” battle is officially moving to the next stage.