Shocking news coming out of Grove: the British team has reportedly failed the FIA crash test.
It was supposed to be the beginning of a new era – one that James Vowles’ men have been betting on for years as part of a very long-term project… and yet, unfortunately, the work carried out by the British team (and not only them) still seems far from complete.
The new technical era of Formula 1 therefore begins uphill for Williams: the Grove-based team will not take part in the collective winter tests in Barcelona, the first real on-track benchmark of the 2026 season, due to the chassis not being homologated. In the official statement, however, there is no mention of further details.
Williams absent in Barcelona: the reason
According to information coming from the paddock, the car failed to pass the mandatory FIA crash tests, a crucial step required to receive approval to run on track. A major setback, forcing the British team to miss out on fundamental days of work during a critical phase of development—especially considering the deep and substantial regulation changes coming into force this year.
Missing the Montmeló tests is clearly an unexpected blow to Williams’ programme, putting the team in a real race against time. It is also disappointing news for fans, who had been very confident in the work James Vowles has been carrying out since 2023.
The goal now is to quickly resolve the structural issues with the chassis (issues that had already emerged back in 2019), pass the new crash tests, and at least be present for the official Bahrain tests scheduled for February. Missing that appointment as well would mean arriving at the start of the World Championship with a delay that would be extremely difficult to recover from—almost certainly resulting in last place in the Constructors’ Championship.
The situation at the English team may not be an isolated case, however: several teams are reportedly dealing with difficulties linked to the complexity of the new cars, with increasingly tight timelines and development programmes being revised on the fly. Whether Williams will be able to bounce back – or not – we’ll find out very soon.
Photo: Williams F1 Team
