F1 team carry out 'alternative test' after Barcelona mishap

Williams F1 team have confirmed they have carried out an 'alternative test' after missing out on the Barcelona shakedown.

While the other 10 teams on the grid have been at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya shaking down their 2026 challengers, Williams announced ahead of the five-day test that their car was not ready and would not attend.

On day three of the Barcelona shakedown (Wednesday, January 28), Williams shared a video of team principal James Vowles to their social media, who confirmed they will be at the first test in Bahrain (February 11-13) and they had carried out virtual track testing back in the UK.

"We are ready to run in the official test in Bahrain and we'll carry out a promotional filming day ahead of it," he explained.

"In the meantime, we're carrying out an alternative test programme here in the UK, including what we call a VTT, a virtual track test. The car's on there now, it's been there a few days and it will be on there for a few more days.

"It's a physical car. The real car, the engine, the gearbox are all bolted to it and it's put through its paces on a rig and provides valuable engineering data. The car is there as we speak and will continue running tomorrow. We cannot wait to get on track. There's a lot to look forward to in 2026."

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What is a VTT (virtual track test)?

As Vowles mentioned above, a virtual track test simulates track conditions to test the car's aerodynamics, suspension, and engine on a basic rig of the car.

It was a much more advanced version of the VTT programme that usually takes place in pre-season. This extensive version tried to mitigate their Barcelona absence by hooking up its car, engine and gearbox, which allows them to test various systems, e.g. brakes and cooling, while also assessing reliability.

On their Barcelona absence, Vowles also added to the media: [To attend Barcelona] I would have to turn upside down the impact on spares, components and updates across Bahrain, Melbourne and beyond and the evaluation of it was that for running in a cold, damp Barcelona against doing a VTT test against the spare situation – and frankly there were zero points for running in a shakedown test – we so made the decision.

"I stand by it, that the right thing to do is to make sure we're turning up at Bahrain correctly prepared – and prepared in Melbourne as well."

"I'm confident we won't be behind for the following reason. We've still got six days of good testing in… dry Bahrain, in representative conditions.

"We're fortunate we have the power unit provided by Mercedes and the gearbox provided by Mercedes so the learning that they're going through this week in Barcelona will carry over to us into Bahrain.

"Now, it's not that I want to be resting on their hard work, but also it is worth stating that that is still an advantage for us that falls out of it, or a disadvantage that's negated.

"I'm confident that with six days in Bahrain we [can] run through the programme that we need to, and it's why I wanted the VTT now.

"What I wanted to do is to make sure that from the outset in Bahrain we have a reliable car ready to go so that we're not sitting there doing what a lot of individuals and teams are trying their best to in Barcelona but not leave the garage. We've got to be there ready to go."

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