Formula 1

F1 star 'frustrated' by pre-season testing disaster

Sheona Mountford Friday 30 January 2026 21:00

F1 team principal James Vowles has admitted that one of his drivers is 'frustrated' by developments early in 2026.

Williams were forced to announce last week that they would not be attending this week's pre-season 'shakedown' testing in Barcelona, in a public blow to their hopes.

On day three of testing, Vowles spoke to the media and to fans via social media, where he confirmed Williams would be ready for testing in Bahrain on February 11.

He also revealed the reaction of his driver Sainz, when he was informed Williams would not be able to make the Barcelona shakedown.

"From the moment I called Carlos, his first question was, 'What can I do to help? I'm here with you and I support you.' He's just as frustrated as I am," Vowles said.

Why did Williams not attend Barcelona shakedown?

Vowles further explained why Williams forwent the Barcelona shakedown to the media, and said: "We started falling a little bit behind and late in parts, and there (are) compromises you can make as a result of it.

“We have absolutely pushed the boundaries of what we’re doing in certain areas, and one of those is in certain corresponding (crash) tests that go with it.

“But those were a blip in the grand scheme of things. They are one item out of quite a few that were pushing us absolutely beyond the limit of what we can achieve in the space of time that we have available to us.”

When addressing concerns that their Barcelona absence could have negative consequences, Vowles added: "I’m confident we won’t be behind."

Formula 1