Williams has put their FW48 on track for the first time, confirming that the car completed a shakedown (initial test to verify that the car functions correctly and collect basic data before official pre-season testing) at Silverstone.

During the session, featuring a special ‘Flow State’ testing livery, drivers Alex Albon and Carlos Sainz completed the FW48’s first laps in a promotional filming day, marking the car’s track debut for the 2026 season.

Albon described the session as “fairly smooth”: “That’s shakedown done! 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 I’m 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.”

Sainz added: “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. 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 our first few laps and completing the shakedown plan. We are ready to fly to Bahrain in a few days, where we’ll dive into more complete run plans. I’m looking forward to it!”

Williams were the only team to miss the Barcelona Shakedown in late January but confirmed that they will take part in official pre-season testing in Bahrain, with the first test from February 11-13 and the second from February 18-20.

Reflecting on the shakedown, Team Principal James Vowles said: “This was a milestone day for us, and it is always a very proud moment to see a new car on track for the first time. The team has absolutely pulled together under the pressure of the situation and delivered a car today for a planned promotional filming day here at Silverstone. We were able to understand more about our package (the set of components and car configuration that affect performance) in preparation for Bahrain next week, and Carlos and Alex were able to provide positive feedback to guide us while also identifying minor issues to clean up between now and then. The push isn’t over yet – this is just the beginning and there is more ahead of us.”

The session comes just days after Williams unveiled their livery for the 2026 season, dominated by blue and black colors.

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