Ferrari and Alpine showed off their 2026 F1 cars on Friday, but one of their competitors has said they won’t be taking part in the first pre-season test in Barcelona.
The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is hosting a five-day shakedown, giving all 11 teams an early chance to get to grips with the new regulations.
After that, everyone will head to Bahrain for two more test sessions, scheduled from February 11-13 and then again from the 18th to the 20th.
Teams are allowed to pick any three days out of the five between January 26-30 to run their cars under the new rules.
Ferrari already hit the track for a shakedown after launching their car at Fiorano on Friday, but one rival has announced they’ll be skipping the Montmelo session entirely.
Williams to skip Barcelona test after reported crash test issues
Williams have found themselves playing catch-up before the 2026 season has even begun, announcing on Friday that Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz will miss the Barcelona shakedown. The team cited “delays” with their FW48 project in an official statement.
According to RacingNews365, James Vowles made the call to skip the session because their FW48 hadn’t cleared the FIA’s mandatory crash tests. That means Albon and Sainz will be limited to a maximum of three days each in Bahrain before the season starts.
Concerns about Williams missing the test had already been building. Journalist Ralf Bach recently reported that the team’s new chassis is overweight, struggling to meet F1’s revised minimum weight of 768kg, excluding fuel.
Williams choose factory testing in Grove over Barcelona shakedown
F1 has reduced the minimum car weight from 798kg in 2025 to 768kg in 2026, as part of new chassis regulations designed to promote closer racing. The upcoming rules also shorten the maximum wheelbase from 3600mm to 3400mm, with width dropping from 2000mm to 1900mm.
The changes coming for next season are some of the most sweeping in F1 history. Alongside a move to sustainable fuels and removal of the costly MGU-H component, new engine rules have introduced an even split between electrical and combustion power.
Williams will continue using customer Mercedes engines through at least 2030 but have had a slower start to their preparations than some rivals. Rather than running at Barcelona, Williams plan a week of internal tests at their Grove factory instead.
The team released a statement explaining: “Williams have taken the decision not to participate in next week’s shakedown test in Barcelona following delays in the FW48 programme as we continue to push for maximum car performance.
“The team will instead conduct a series of tests including a VTT programme next week with the 2026 car to prepare for the first official test in Bahrain and the first race of the season in Melbourne.”
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