P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Rumors regarding Williams’ 2026 challenger; the FW48 being grossly overweight have been laid to rest after F1 livery reveal.
Reports regarding Williams’ 2026 FW48 being overweight were put to rest after the Formula 1 livery reveal, following the team’s focus on the 2026 regulations reset. The Grove-based team faced challenges early on, missing the opening pre-season event in Spain due to reportedly failing FIA crash tests and struggling to meet the minimum car weight requirement of 768kgs. The team ultimately declared the FW48’s weight at 772.4kgs, slightly over the limit but not as severe as initially rumored. Despite the weight issue, Williams is gearing up to debut the FW48 at Bahrain International Circuit for official pre-season tests, aiming to make an impact in F1’s latest era. James Vowles, leading the team, remains noncommittal on whether the weight will hinder or benefit the car’s 2026 ambitions, as Williams continues to navigate challenges and prepare for the upcoming season.
