Williams to use interim car at first test

UPDATE (GMM) Williams has cleared up a round of confusion about its plans for the debut of its 2011 car.

We reported earlier that the FW33 will be ready for the opening of the Valencia group test on February 1, with Rubens Barrichello at the wheel.

But Germany's Auto Motor und Sport muddied the waters this week by reporting that the British team will actually travel to Cheste with an "interim car", with the debut of the new car not expected until mid February.

Williams cleared up the confusion on Tuesday by announcing that the FW33 will indeed debut on 1 February, with Barrichello in charge until the middle of the second day of the test when his new teammate Pastor Maldonado takes over.

"The car will run with an interim livery so no roll out for photography purposes will take place," the team said in a statement.

"The team will announce an official launch of the FW33, complete with its new livery, at a later date," it added..

01/18/11 (GMM) Five teams are likely to have not yet launched their 2011 cars by the time of the opening pre-season group test beginning 1 February.

That is the claim of Germany's Auto Motor und Sport, contradicting other reports that said Williams and Lotus will be ready with their new single seaters at Cheste's Ricardo Tormo circuit near Valencia early next month.

The report said Williams will likely have an "interim car" at the test rather than the new FW33, with a 2011 launch not expected until mid-February.

Force India has already announced that its new car will not be seen until the second test at Jerez, but it had been expected that Team Lotus' 2011 machine would be in Valencia.

However, Auto Motor und Sport said the Malaysian team, as well as fellow new-in-2010 outfits Virgin and HRT, are likely to be ready with their respective new cars even later than Williams and Force India.

The earliest launch will be the reveal and rollout of the 2011 Ferrari at Maranello/Fiorano on 28 January, a few days before it is taken to Valencia.

On the last day of this month, Sauber and Renault will present their cars at Valencia, and on the following morning the Mercedes and Toro Rosso cars will be photographed for the first time in the pitlane.

Red Bull is also scheduling a Valencia debut for the RB6, but an official announcement of the precise launch date is only expected within the next few days.

McLaren's MP4-26 will be launched after the Valencia test, on 4 February in Berlin at sponsor Vodafone's behest.