P1racenews AI automatic summary:
It’s been revealed that Williams F1 team ‘could have made’ the Barcelona private shakedown, if they pushed ‘at all costs’.
The Williams F1 team could have participated in the Barcelona private shakedown if they had pushed ‘at all costs’, but their FW48 car was not ready for testing.
Due to failing the nosecone test, Williams decided not to rush their car design and skipped the private shakedown to ensure the quality of their vehicle.
Although missing valuable track time in Barcelona, Williams will join the two three-day testing events in Bahrain in February, featuring televised laps that are more representative of performance.
Sky Sports F1 pundit Craig Slater revealed details about Williams’ technical issues and the decision to withdraw from the shakedown, emphasizing the team’s commitment to making the right engineering choices.
The private shakedown is a crucial pre-season health check for F1 teams to test new car features without limitations, allowing them to run on track away from the public eye and media scrutiny.
Sky Sports will provide highlights of the Barcelona shakedown on their F1 channel, ensuring fans can stay updated on the testing activities and developments of the teams as the 2026 season approaches.
