Williams Driver Academy

Last updated

Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Williams Racing Driver Academy
Williams Racing Driver Academy Logo.png
Founded2016;9 years ago (2016) (as Williams Young Driver Programme)
Base Grove, Oxfordshire, England
Team principal(s) James Vowles
Current driversFIA Formula 2
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Luke Browning
FIA Formula 3
Flag of France.svg Alessandro Giusti
Italian F4 Championship
Flag of Ukraine.svg Oleksandr Bondarev
F1 Academy
Flag of the United States.svg Lia Block
Karting
Flag of Japan.svg Sara Matsui
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Dean Hoogendoorn
Flag of the United States.svg Lucas Palacio
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Will Green

The Williams Racing Driver Academy, formerly known as the Williams Young Driver Programme, is a driver development programme by Formula One team Williams. It is meant to promote talent in different racing series by helping them with funds, with the hope of finding drivers who will race for the team in the future. Notable graduates of the scheme are Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi, Jack Aitken, Logan Sargeant and Franco Colapinto; who all made their F1 debuts with Williams.

Contents

Current drivers

DriverBeganCurrent seriesTitles as academy member
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Luke Browning [1] 2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship FIA F3 World Cup ( 2023 )
Flag of Ukraine.svg Oleksandr Bondarev [2] 2023 F4 Middle East Championship
Italian F4 Championship
None as Williams Driver Academy member
Flag of the United States.svg Lia Block [3] 2023 F1 Academy None as Williams Driver Academy member
Flag of France.svg Alessandro Giusti [4] 2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship None as Williams Driver Academy member
Flag of Japan.svg Sara Matsui [4] 2024Karting (OKJ)None as Williams Driver Academy member
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Dean Hoogendoorn [5] 2024Karting (OKJ)None as Williams Driver Academy member
Flag of the United States.svg Lucas Palacio [6] 2024KartingNone as Williams Driver Academy member
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Will Green [7] 2024KartingNone as Williams Driver Academy member

Graduates to Formula 1

This list contains the drivers that have graduated to Formula 1 with Williams support. Therefore, drivers who have had support in the past and entered Formula 1 through other means are not included.

DriverAcademy experienceF1 experience with WilliamsF1 experience with other teams
YearsFormer series
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Lance Stroll 2016 FIA Formula 3 European Championship (2016) 20172018 Racing Point (20192020)
Aston Martin (2021–)
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Nicholas Latifi 2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2019) 20202022
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jack Aitken [8] 2020–2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship (20202021)
GT World Challenge Europe (2021)
2020
Flag of the United States.svg Logan Sargeant 2021–2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2022) 20232024
Flag of Argentina.svg Franco Colapinto [9] 2023–2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship (2023)
FIA Formula 2 Championship (20232024)
2024

Former drivers

DriverYearsSeries competedF1 Team(s)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Oliver Rowland [10] 2018 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup (2018)
Formula E (2018–19)
None
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jamie Chadwick [11] [12] 2019–2024 W Series ( 2019 , 2021 2022 )
Formula Regional European Championship (2020)
Indy NXT (20232024)
None
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Dan Ticktum [13] [14] 2020–2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship (20202021)None
Flag of Israel.svg Roy Nissany [15] 2020–2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship (20202022)
F3 Asian Championship (2021)
None
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Oliver Gray 2022–2023 F4 British Championship (2022)
FIA Formula 3 Championship (2023)
None
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Zak O'Sullivan [16] 2022–2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship (20222023)
FIA Formula 2 Championship (2024)
None

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red Bull Junior Team</span> Red Bulls driver development program

The Red Bull Junior Team is a driver development programme operated by Austrian conglomerate company Red Bull GmbH to identify and develop talent in open-wheel racing. Members of the Junior Team are financed and sponsored by Red Bull in kart racing and junior formulae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mick Schumacher</span> German racing driver (born 1999)

Mick Schumacher is a German racing driver, who competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Alpine. Schumacher competed in Formula One from 2021 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alpine Academy</span> Program to support young racing drivers through their careers

The Alpine Academy, formerly known as the RF1 Driver Programme, Renault Driver Development and Renault Sport Academy, is a driver development programme to support young racing drivers through their careers. The programme was created by Renault F1 in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prema Racing</span> Motorsport team from Italy

Prema Racing, previously known as Prema Powerteam, is an Italian motorsport team. It operates in the FIA Formula 2 Championship and FIA Formula 3 Championship as well as various junior championships. In 2022 the team made its FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series entries, beginning the efforts in the endurance racing. The team was founded in 1983 and is located in Grisignano di Zocco, in the Veneto region. Prema has been a talent pool for several Formula 1 junior programs: from Toyota and Renault in the early days; to Alpine, Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes, Red Bull, and Williams in recent years. For 2023, the team will enter nine championships, fielding a total of 28 drivers. Prema is also set to participate in the IndyCar Series from 2025.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Nissany</span> Israeli racing driver

Roy Nissany is an Israeli racing driver who most recently competed in the 2023 Formula 2 Championship with PHM Racing by Charouz. He is the son of former racing driver Chanoch Nissany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nicholas Latifi</span> Canadian racing driver (born 1995)

Nicholas Daniel Latifi is a Canadian former racing driver, who competed in Formula One from 2020 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Russell (racing driver)</span> British racing driver (born 1998)

George William Russell is a British racing driver, who competes in Formula One for Mercedes. Russell has won three Formula One Grands Prix across six seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Chadwick</span> British racing driver (born 1998)

Jamie Laura Chadwick is a British racing driver who will be driving for IDEC Sport in the 2025 European Le Mans Series, and previously raced for Andretti Global in Indy NXT. She won the inaugural W Series season in 2019, before retaining her title in 2021 and 2022. She has also competed in the Race of Champions for Great Britain alongside David Coulthard, and raced in Extreme E. She is a development driver for the Williams Formula One team and a test driver for the Jaguar Formula E team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zhou Guanyu</span> Chinese racing driver (born 1999)

Zhou Guanyu is a Chinese racing driver, who most recently competed in Formula One from 2022 to 2024. Zhou remains the only Chinese driver to compete in Formula One.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Aitken</span> British and South Korean racing driver (born 1995)

Jack Anthony Han-Aitken is a British and South Korean racing driver, who competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for Cadillac Whelen and in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters for Emil Frey. Aitken competed in Formula One at the Sakhir Grand Prix in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dan Ticktum</span> British racing driver

Daniel Charles Anthony Ticktum is a British racing driver, who competes in Formula E for Kiro.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McLaren Driver Development Programme</span> Program to support young racing drivers through their careers

The McLaren Driver Development Programme, formerly known as the McLaren Young Driver Programme, is a driver development programme operated by McLaren. It is intended to offer year-by-year guidance, assistance and endorsement to help promising young racers climb the motorsport ladder. The program is managed by Stephanie Carlin, formerly of Carlin Motorsport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marta García (racing driver)</span> Spanish professional racing driver

Marta García López is a Spanish racing driver who currently competes in the 2024 Formula Regional European Championship with Iron Dames. She most recently competed in F1 Academy for the team in 2023, becoming the inaugural champion of the series with two races to spare. She is a race winner in the W Series and won titles including the CIK-FIA Karting Academy Trophy and the Trofeo delle Industrie in 2015, the oldest kart race in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Logan Sargeant</span> American racing driver (born 2000)

Logan Hunter Sargeant is an American racing driver, who is contracted to compete in the 2025 European Le Mans Series for IDEC Sport. Sargeant most recently competed in Formula One from 2023 to 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franco Colapinto</span> Argentine racing driver (born 2003)

Franco Alejandro Colapinto is an Argentine racing driver, who serves as a reserve driver in Formula One for Alpine.

The Sauber Academy, formerly known as the Sauber Junior Team, is a driver development programme by Sauber Motorsport to support drivers from karts through the feeder series ladder to promote them to their Formula One team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chloe Chambers</span> American racing driver

Chloe Chambers is an American racing driver. She is currently competing in F1 Academy with Campos Racing representing Red Bull, previously with Haas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emely de Heus</span> Dutch racing driver (born 2003)

Emely de Heus is a Dutch racing driver. She is best known for her two seasons racing in F1 Academy for MP Motorsport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Williams FW46</span> 2024 Formula One car

The Williams FW46 is a Formula One racing car designed and constructed by Williams to compete in the 2024 Formula One World Championship. The car was driven by Alexander Albon, Logan Sargeant and Franco Colapinto, the latter of whom replaced Sargeant for the final nine races of the season. Throughout the season, which was riddled with numerous incidents, the team scored 17 points.

References

  1. "Luke Browning joins the Williams Racing Driver Academy".
  2. "Oleksandr Bondarev joins the Williams Racing Driver Academy".
  3. "Lia Block to drive for Williams Racing in F1 Academy". Williams Racing. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Alessandro Giusti and Sara Matsui join the Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams Racing. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  5. "Dean Hoogendoorn joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams Racing. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  6. "Karting prodigy Lucas Palacio joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams Racing. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  7. "British Karting Star Will Green Joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams Racing. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  8. Barretto, Lawrence (8 April 2020). "The Williams Driver Academy: A pursuit of talent with a commercial upside". F1 - The Official Home of Formula 1® Racing. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
  9. "Franco Colapinto joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams Racing. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  10. "Oliver Rowland gets Williams Formula 1 role for 2018". www.autosport.com. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  11. "Jamie Chadwick joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams F1. 20 May 2019. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  12. "Jamie Chadwick continues in the Williams Racing Driver Academy". www.williamsf1.com. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  13. "Dan Ticktum joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams F1. 17 December 2019. Archived from the original on 10 January 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  14. "Williams release development driver Dan Ticktum | Formula 1®". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  15. "Roy Nissany is confirmed as Official Test Driver". Williams F1. 15 January 2020. Archived from the original on 10 June 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  16. "British teen racer Zak O'Sullivan joins Williams Driver Academy | Formula 1®". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 4 February 2022.