Williams reveal their 2024 F1 car as three other teams complete shakedown

Having decided against performing any runs ahead of the pre-season testing, Williams have revealed their 2024 Formula 1 car during a shakedown run at Bahrain on the eve of pre-season testing at the same circuit.

The Grove-based outfit showed off the livery of their 2024 F1 car at a special launch ceremony in New York, but the new machine has been unseen so far. Williams had considered giving the car its track debut at Silverstone – like McLaren, Aston Martin and Mercedes did – but given the weather conditions, team principal James Vowles thought it would have been a waste of time.

Mercedes’ former strategy chief said that “there is a balance between doing the virtual track test in Silverstone, and I’d much rather want to spend time dedicated to the virtual track test, and then basically film it, rather than shake it down, in Bahrain. Silverstone, I have several feelings towards it. I’ve done it for a number of years. And sometimes you get some really good things out of it.

“Sometimes you’re running around on X-Rack tyres in a blustery condition with your bit of equipment falling over, and you don’t learn a single thing. And that balance means I’d much rather do virtual track testing, and then bring the car to Bahrain where we can do that properly.”

However, Williams took its new car to the track ahead of the three-day Bahrain test on Tuesday to check out the basic parameters of the FW46 during a pre-season promotional filming day. Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant shared driving duties as they completed their first laps in the new car.

Williams was not alone at the Bahrain International Circuit as Alpine have also decided to shake off their new challenger just a day ahead of the pre-season testing. The Anglo-French outfit ran both Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon in their first A524 drive in flesh as the pair is set to complete their second consecutive F1 for the Enstone-based squad.

Haas and Mercedes were the two other teams to extend the three-day Bahrain test by carrying out a filming day on Day 0. At the Brackley-based team, both George Russell and Lewis Hamilton were in action, who completed the team’s second filming run after its first in Silverstone.

Haas have given their VF-24 an initial shakedown in the hand of Nico Hulkenberg at Silverstone. The American team used its second filming day at Bahrain with Kevin Magnussen getting his first taste of his 2024 Formula 1 car.