Vowles responds as competitors continue to race in Barcelona.

      "What you hear is merely hearsay."

      Williams team principal James Vowles has sought to dispel mounting speculation regarding the team's absence from Formula 1's Barcelona shakedown week, asserting that the FW48 has successfully passed all required crash tests and dismissing allegations that it is significantly overweight.

      The team has faced intense scrutiny after missing the entire closed-door test, with reports indicating several failed FIA crash tests and suggestions that the car could be as much as 30 kilograms over the new minimum weight for 2026. Vowles characterized these claims as baseless.

      "There is currently no information about the weight because the car has not yet been weighed in its final configuration," Vowles stated. "What you hear is just hearsay."

      He confirmed that the car has passed crash testing and is in the process of physical Virtual Track Testing (VTT), acknowledging that the decision to bypass Barcelona was difficult yet intentional.

      "We could have driven," Vowles noted. "However, it made more strategic sense to reduce risk rather than test on a wet, cold track without gaining points."

      Vowles also recognized delays in the FW48 program, describing the new car as "about three times more complex than anything we’ve previously produced."

      "We simply wanted more than our system could handle within that timeframe," he explained, emphasizing the importance of preserving spare parts and ensuring preparedness for Bahrain and Melbourne.

      Additionally, Williams has scrapped plans for a physical reveal of its 2026 car at its factory on February 3, with the launch now scheduled to occur virtually, highlighting further disruptions to its winter plans.

      "We’re confident in our decision to miss Barcelona," Vowles stated. "I’m pleased to report that we’ve passed all essential tests and we’re prepared to run in Bahrain."

      In other news, improved weather on Wednesday enabled more teams to return to the track. McLaren's Lando Norris took to the track with his new number 1, which he called "really cool."

      "We are considerably slower than before due to reduced downforce in the corners," Norris explained. "However, regarding acceleration and top speed up to 340, 350 on the straights, we are quicker than in 2025."

      Red Bull did not participate on Wednesday following Isack Hadjar’s crash the day prior, as the team chose to focus on repairs and safeguard Max Verstappen’s remaining mileage. Hadjar expressed optimism about the car.

      "Generally, these cars are more predictable than the previous ones - simpler," he commented.

      Experts continue to recognize the early strength of the new Red Bull-Ford power unit. Arvid Lindblad, competing for Racing Bulls with the same engine, stated: "Of course, there’s room for improvement, but the powertrain is far better than I anticipated."

      Audi and Haas encountered further initial issues, while Aston Martin finally reached the circuit late on Wednesday, with its car delivered overnight amid speculation of delays related to its new Honda power unit. Honda Racing Corporation president Koji Watanabe has already cautioned that the 2026 regulations are "extremely challenging."

      Most observers still believe Mercedes has established the early benchmark. George Russell remarked that the new cars feel like "a positive evolution," while his teammate Kimi Antonelli predicted a closely contested field.

      "I don’t think the gaps on the grid will be as significant as people assume," the young Italian said. "We will have some close battles."