Williams will miss the first test in Barcelona

Williams have confirmed that they will miss the first pre-season tests, scheduled to take place in Barcelona from 26 to 30 January.

The official reason given is “delays in the FW48 project.” Unofficially, however, the issue is believed to be related to difficulties in passing the FIA’s mandatory crash tests.

Several Spanish and German publications have reported that the new FW48 chassis failed the FIA’s compulsory crash tests on its first attempt.

During these tests, the car’s safety systems are assessed, including whether the monocoque maintains its integrity under frontal, rear, and side impacts. In total, the chassis is subjected to nearly twenty different tests, simulating collisions with various obstacles. Without passing the crash tests, a car is not permitted to run on track.

According to Williams’ plans, the tests should have been completed several days ago, but according to unconfirmed reports, the event has not yet happened.

The British team has not officially commented on the rumours. At the same time, Williams’ press office has not issued any statement confirming that the chassis has passed the crash tests.

In an official statement, Williams said that the team has decided not to participate in next week’s Barcelona tests due to delays in the FW48 project. The statement emphasised that the primary goal is to make the car as fast as possible.

Instead of travelling to Barcelona, the team will conduct a series of tests, including virtual track simulations of the 2026 car, to prepare for the first official tests in Bahrain and the opening race of the season in Melbourne.

The team said it is looking forward to returning to the track next week and thanked fans for their continued support, adding that many exciting moments are expected in 2026.

Williams has experienced similar situations in the past. In 2019, the team also failed to have its car ready for the start of testing and missed two and a half days.