Williams team principal James Vowles has expressed confidence that despite missing the 2025 Barcelona Shakedown, the team will not be left on the back foot heading into the pivotal 2026 Formula 1 season. The Grove-based squad was the only one absent during the first pre-season gathering where the next generation of F1 cars debuted, due to delays in the development of their FW48 chassis.

Instead of participating in on-track running, Williams carried out a week-long Virtual Track Testing (VTT) programme and utilized their state-of-the-art driver-in-loop simulator, operating it concurrently with drivers Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon. The effort was aimed at maximizing performance and compensating for lost real-world track time.

Speaking during the team’s livery launch, Vowles admitted disappointment at missing the Barcelona event: “I would have much preferred to have been in Barcelona. That was the goal, that was what we were intending to do, and we did not achieve it.”

However, he emphasized that the simulation work and data-sharing with Mercedes — who supply Williams with their power unit and gearbox — have helped mitigate the setback: “In addition, we are fortunate that Mercedes had sufficient runners, so there was quite a bit of information coming back on the gearbox and power unit that enables us to get ahead when we come to Bahrain, means I do not believe with six days of testing we’ll be on the back foot.”

He acknowledged the limitations of virtual testing, noting the lack of real-world correlation for aerodynamics and vehicle dynamics: “Track data is the only way of establishing that. So, there is a loss, but with six days of testing, with our driver-in-loop simulator — that we invested in, is state-of-the-art, and I’m very confident this is the benchmark in the business — up and running at the end of last year, we are able to mitigate a lot of those.”

Vowles also addressed the team’s long-term ambitions, recognizing the difficulty of climbing from fifth to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship: “The jump from fifth to fourth is in my experience exponentially more difficult than what we’ve already achieved.”

He stressed that continuous innovation and bold decision-making are essential: “The only way to achieve that against competitors who themselves are striving and moving forward, is simply by pushing the absolute boundaries and being brave in the decisions you’re making.”

Looking ahead, Vowles set a clear target: “We don’t expect to be fighting for the championship, but we do expect that 2025 is our new established baseline, and to keep moving the business forward year on year from then onwards.”

With two official pre-season tests scheduled in Bahrain later this month, Williams aims to return with momentum, resolve, and a renewed focus on closing the gap to the front-runners as the new technical era begins.