One F1 team will now miss the 2026 Barcelona test after they failed a ‘mandatory’ FIA test

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Ferrari and Alpine became the latest teams to unveil their 2026 F1 cars this Friday, but one rival has now confirmed they will miss the opening pre-season test in Barcelona.

Formula 1 has hired the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for a five-day shakedown test to give the 11 teams an additional chance to check their packages built for the new regulations. The field will also convene again for two more tests in Bahrain, across February 11-13 and 18-20.

Teams can test their cars built for the 2026 F1 regulations across any three of the five days in Barcelona from January 26-30. But while Ferrari held a shakedown after unveiling their 2026 F1 car at Fiorano this Friday, one rival has just confirmed they will miss the test in Montmelo.

A number of F1 teams have already held shakedowns or filming days to test their cars, with Audi the first team to run a car built under the 2026 regulations. This week even saw Racing Bulls run their 2026 F1 car at Imola, and Mercedes put their 2026 car on track at Silverstone.

Are we looking at the car that will win Ferrari their first drivers’ championship since 2007?

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Williams confirm they will miss the Barcelona shakedown, amid claims they failed the FIA’s crash test

Williams are behind the curve ahead of the 2026 season, however, as the team confirmed on Friday that Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz will not take part in the Barcelona test. Williams announced in a statement that they have encountered “delays” with their FW48 project.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about F1’s 2026 engine and aero regulations

According to RacingNews365, team boss James Vowles decided that Williams will miss the Barcelona shakedown test, as their FW48 has struggled to pass the FIA’s ‘mandatory’ crash tests. Albon and Sainz will now get at most three days each in Williams’ 2026 car in Bahrain.

There were already fears that Williams would need to sit out the Barcelona shakedown test. Journalist Ralf Bach recently stated that Williams’ chassis built for the 2026 F1 regulations is overweight, having struggled to get down to the new 768kg minimum weight excluding fuel.

F1 Oversteer has contacted Williams for a comment, but is currently awaiting a response.

Williams will conduct a series of tests at their factory in Grove in place of the Barcelona shakedown

F1 has reduced the minimum car weight from 798kg in 2025 to 768kg in 2026, to further the latest chassis regulations designed to improve the racing. The 2026 rules have also reduced the maximum wheelbase from 3600mm to 3400mm, and width from 2000mm to 1900mm.

What impact will Williams missing the Barcelona shakedown test have on their 2026 season?

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The 2026 regulations pose the biggest overhaul of F1’s rulebook in history, with new engine rules at the heart of the changes. F1 engines now have a near 50/50 split between electrical and combustion power, run on sustainable fuels and no longer have the expensive MGU-H.

Williams will continue to field customer Mercedes engines through the 2030 F1 season. But their plans for 2026 have been delayed, with the team announcing they will miss the test in Barcelona. Williams will instead conduct a series of tests at their factory in Grove next week.

A team statement from Williams read: “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.”