Williams has taken its 2026 Formula 1 car, the FW48, out for its maiden laps at Silverstone during a promotional filming day. Drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz both piloted the Mercedes-powered machine, which features a distinctive pullrod front suspension. The team, which skipped the Barcelona shakedown, now prepares for pre-season testing in Bahrain.
Williams became the last Formula 1 team to run its 2026 challenger when the FW48 hit the track at Silverstone on Wednesday for a low-key shakedown and filming session. Sporting a special 'Flow State' testing livery—following the unveiling of its blue-and-black season livery the previous day—the car completed its initial laps under typical winter conditions at the British circuit.
Alex Albon, who drove the car first, described the day as 'fairly smooth.' 'That’s shakedown done!' he said. 'Obviously a few bits of data to look at and areas to improve, but generally a fairly smooth day. We had decent weather for Silverstone at this time of year and glad to finally be in the car and driving the FW48. Our full focus is on Bahrain now, looking at the data and getting ready for the start of the season.'
Carlos Sainz echoed the positive sentiment: 'We just had our first laps in the FW48! It’s always an exciting, special day for the drivers, the mechanics and the entire team and it’s been a great effort from everyone to get the car on track today. It was a typical winter day at Silverstone, so we focused on getting in our first few laps and completing our shakedown plan. We are ready to fly to Bahrain in a few days where we’ll dive into more complete run plans, so I’m looking forward to it!'
Observers noted several design features, including a pullrod front suspension—shared only with Alpine and Cadillac—a high-mounted front arm on the upper wishbone for anti-dive geometry, a wide nose connected to the front wing via outward-protruding brackets, and a large, round airbox.
Team Principal James Vowles called it a 'milestone day,' highlighting the team's efforts under pressure. 'The team has absolutely pulled together... and delivered a car today,' he said. 'We were able to understand more about our package in preparation for Bahrain next week... The push isn't over yet – this is just the beginning.'
Williams had missed the late-January Barcelona shakedown but confirmed participation in Bahrain's official tests from February 11-13 and 18-20. McLaren CEO Zak Brown noted the uncertainty around Williams' pace: 'You really have no idea what Williams is up to.'
