Williams' Vowles impressed by three rivals in Barcelona testing

Williams Team Principal James Vowles singled out three rival teams—Red Bull, Ferrari, and Aston Martin—for their impressive showings during the pre-season test in Barcelona, admitting the true competitive order remains a mystery ahead of the season opener.

Why it matters:

As the final major test before the 2026 season, Barcelona provided the first real glimpse of the new technical regulations in action. Vowles's observations, coming from a seasoned insider, offer a credible early read on which teams may have nailed their concepts, setting the stage for a potentially unpredictable and competitive start to the new era.

The details:

Vowles highlighted specific strengths from each team that caught his eye during the five-day test.

• Red Bull's Powertrain: He expressed major respect for Red Bull's new in-house power unit, calling its debut reliability "mighty" for a completely new project developed from scratch.
• Ferrari's Consistency: While ultimate single-lap pace remains a question, Vowles was struck by the Scuderia's consistent performance and reliability from the very first runs of testing.
• Aston Martin's Innovation: The creativity of Adrian Newey's first car for Aston Martin stood out, with Vowles specifically noting "remarkable" design solutions like wishbone placements in unconventional locations.

Vowles also tempered expectations for Mercedes, which showed strong pace with George Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli. He doubts the team will enjoy a dominance advantage reminiscent of its 2014 supremacy at the start of the previous hybrid era.

What's next:

The true pecking order will only be revealed at the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne, as teams are expected to bring significant upgrades. Vowles emphasized that the cars seen in Barcelona may not be the final specifications, adding an extra layer of intrigue and uncertainty to the season's start. This shroud of mystery, with multiple teams showing promise in different areas, suggests the battle at the front could be more open than initially predicted.