Williams Formula 1 Team to Skip Barcelona Shakedown

Williams have confirmed they will not take part in the upcoming Barcelona shakedown, saying the decision was made to prioritise maximum performance from their 2026 car.

The shakedown is scheduled to run from January 26 to 30 at the Circuit Barcelona-Catalunya and will give teams three days to run their new cars. It is intended to supplement the standard pre-season testing in Bahrain and help teams adapt to the revised regulations.

Williams will not be present in Barcelona but will instead carry out private testing ahead of the first official pre-season test in Bahrain from February 11 to 13.

In a statement, the Atlassian Williams F1 Team said it had opted out of the shakedown after delays to the FW48 programme as it continues to push for optimal car performance. The team said it will run a series of alternative tests next week, including a Virtual Track Testing programme with the 2026 car, to prepare for the Bahrain test and the opening race of the season in Melbourne.

Statement from Atlassian Williams F1 Team. pic.twitter.com/N4O1F6cgUz

— Atlassian Williams F1 Team (@WilliamsF1) January 23, 2026

Williams added that it is eager to return to the track in the coming weeks and thanked fans for their continued support, saying there is much to look forward to in 2026.

Kursiv also reports that Ferrari revealed its new Formula 1 car for the 2026 season, the SF-26.

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