Williams has informed about not making it to Barcelona F1 test, as Dan Fallows rejoins Red Bull family plus Audi starts development programme.
After reports about Williams being behind schedule with their 2026 F1 car and missing the Barcelona shakedown, the team has since confirmed the news about not making it to the Spanish circuit. On Thursday, they released video of fire-up, hinting that the programme is on schedule.
But on Friday, they informed about the decision to miss the Barcelona shakedown and prepare for the Bahrain test and the race in Australia. The team will focus on VTT programme, which is Virtual Track Testing. It is a big miss considering the sacrifice on their end during the course of F1 2025.
With the inclusion of Carlos Sainz, the team finally had some results in 2025 and was riding high on confidence to be better ready for 2026 and beyond, but for now they have to wait a little longer. Reports suggested weight issues and them unable to pass crash tests.
“Atlassian Williams F1 Team has taken the decision not to participate in next week’s shakedown test in Barcelona following delays in the FW48 programme as we continue to push for maximum car performance,” the team said in a statement.
“The team will instead conduct a series of tests including a VTT programme next week with the 2026 car to prepare for the first official test in Bahrain and the first race of the season in Melbourne. We are looking forward to getting on track in the coming weeks and want to thank all our fans for your continued support – there is a lot to look forward to together in 2026.”
Dan Fallows –
Following his departure from Red Bull to Aston Martin, Fallows has returned to the Red Bull family after a short stint with the Anglo-British team. The news comes as a surprise considering lack of noise regarding his departure. It is unclear if the arrival of Adrian Newey played any role in it.
For now, Fallows has rejoined the Red Bull family and will be the technical director at Visa Cash App RB, reporting to chief technical officer Tim Goss. Fallows in his role is responsible for the technical direction of the team, work across design, aerodynamics and performance.
“I’m very pleased to be joining VCARB at an exciting time for the team,” said Fallows. “There is a clear vision and strong technical ambition, and I’m looking forward to working closely with Tim and the wider engineering group to help drive performance and continue building the team for the future.”
At the same time, Alan Permane said: “Dan has a wealth of experience, and his technical understanding and leadership will be a real asset to the team as we continue to develop and push forward competitively. We’re delighted to welcome him to VCARB.”
Audi –
Post its launch of F1 livery, Audi has announced the launch of its driver development programme ahead of the 2026 start, naming Allan McNish as the director of the said programme. As per design, the programme is identified to nurture and develop the next generation of talent.
The programme aims to scout talents from karting and junior formula series and help them reach the pinnacle. The drivers will receive world-class training and mentorship at Audi and goes in-line with all the F1 teams, who run similar programme which includes F1 Academy.
“To be entrusted with finding the cornerstones of the future Audi Revolut F1 Team is a great honour and a responsibility I am very passionate about,” said McNish. “This brand is built on a history of ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’, and that philosophy must apply to our young drivers as much as to our cars. We are not just looking for raw speed.
“We are looking for the resilience, intelligence, and team-driven mindset that defines a future Audi champion. Our goal is to build a pathway that turns potential into precision and performance on the world stage. I am thrilled to begin this work and identify the first generation of talent to join this ambitious project.”
Team boss Jonathan Wheatley said: “Investing in the champions of tomorrow is a key pillar of our Formula One strategy. The Audi Driver Development Programme is a clear statement of our long-term commitment to youth and our ambition to be competitive.
“With Allan McNish, we have a director who not only has an incredible track record in motorsport but also embodies the spirit and dedication of our operations. Under his leadership, this programme will be integral to our vision for 2030, our goal of building a winning team and shaping the future of Audi in Formula One.”
Here’s news on Williams fire-up
Here’s news on Visa Cash App RB fire-up
Here’s Aston Martin and Honda on compression ratio
Here’s Audi on launch
