Williams F1 boss James Vowles says he stands by what he called an “incredibly painful” decision for the new FW48 to miss the first test of the season in Barcelona. The team announced last week that it had decided not to go to Spain and aim instead for the next test session, which commences in Bahrain on February 11. It switched its focus to VTT, or Virtual Test Track, running in the factory, in which a mechanically complete car, power unit and gearbox—but without wings—runs on a rig under simulated conditions.
Nine of the other teams have been running in Spain this week; Aston Martin is also late, and its new Honda-powered car has yet to run. In essence, Williams ran out of time to have the FW48 ready to its complete satisfaction, without introducing compromises. It’s a fascinating case study of just how hard it is to get a competitive F1 car on track—especially when new regulations are in play.
All teams have had to deal with more stringent chassis crash tests this season, which often take time to pass. There’s also the bigger picture of Williams undergoing a major restructuring as Vowles attempts to make it into a front-running contender after years of lagging behind. That process in itself is a complex one—and, combined with the efforts to come up with the most competitive design for the new regulations, proved to be a little too much for the system.
Vowles noted that such a strategy brought challenges. “In my experience, the only way you achieve that is pushing the boundaries and limits hard and aggressively and find your limitations. There's no point being just underneath the curve, or well and truly underneath the curve, if you want to transform at speed.
” Williams ran out of time due to the complexity of their car design, which aims to match the best in the field. The team's focus on performance under new regulations led to a delay in the FW48’s debut until next month. Vowles acknowledged that such a decision could have been made at Barcelona but would have required significant compromises later on.
Instead, Williams opted for a more strategic approach, prioritizing preparation for Bahrain and beyond. The decision highlights the challenges of transforming a business like Williams while navigating new regulations in F1. By pushing boundaries and finding limitations quickly, Vowles aims to ensure the team’s transformation is done at maximum speed.
The FW48's debut will take place in Bahrain next month, with the team confident in its readiness. Despite the delay, Vowles remains committed to his strategy, which prioritizes performance over short-term gains.
The complexity of Williams' car design and the need to push boundaries under new regulations are significant challenges that require careful planning and execution. By prioritizing preparation and transformation, Vowles is taking a strategic approach that could pay off in the long run.
