P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Carlos Sainz’s preparations for his opening campaign with Williams in F1 have ramped up with a test in the team’s 2023 car at the Circuit de Barcelona Catalunya.
Carlos Sainz, who was replaced by Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, has been spotted at the Spanish Grand Prix venue with new teammate Alex Albon since Sunday. The pair have been driving the FW45, the car Williams raced in 2023 that meets the Testing of Previous Cars regulations. This marks Sainz’s second time testing Williams machinery, after trying out the 2024 FW46 in Abu Dhabi. Williams boss James Vowles praised Sainz’s impact on the team and his drive for success. The team, along with Ferrari and Sauber, has been testing older cars in Barcelona, deducting mileage from the new 1000-kilometer limit set by the FIA this season. McLaren, on the other hand, recently completed a wet tire development test at Paul Ricard Circuit in France with drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris achieving valuable data for Pirelli’s new 2026 tires. Pirelli’s Mario Isola described the test as crucial for the development of intermediate and wet weather tires for the upcoming season.
