United Kingdom Williams Driver Academy
FoundedWilliams Young Driver Programme (2016 (2016))
Williams Driver Academy (2019 (2019))
BaseGrove, Oxfordshire, England, UK
Team principal(s)James Vowles (Team principal)
Current drivers
Indy NXT
United Kingdom Jamie Chadwick
FIA Formula 2
United Kingdom Zak O'Sullivan
Argentina Franco Colapinto
FIA Formula 3
United Kingdom Luke Browning
FR European Championship
France Alessandro Giusti
F1 Academy
United States Lia Block
Karting
Ukraine Oleksandr Bondarev
Japan Sara Matsui

The Williams Driver Academy is an initiative from Formula One team Williams 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.[1] Notable graduates of the scheme are Lance Stroll, Nicholas Latifi, Jack Aitken and Logan Sargeant; who all made their F1 debuts with Williams.

Current drivers

Driver Began Current series Titles as academy member
United Kingdom Jamie Chadwick[2][3] 2019 Indy NXT W Series (2019, 2021, 2022)
United Kingdom Zak O'Sullivan[4] 2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship None as Williams Driver Academy member
Argentina Franco Colapinto[5] 2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship None as Williams Driver Academy member
United Kingdom Luke Browning[6] 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship FIA Formula 3 World Cup
Ukraine Oleksandr Bondarev[7] 2023 Karting (OK) None as Williams Driver Academy member
United States Lia Block[8] 2023 Nitrocross Championship
Formula Winter Series
F1 Academy 		None as Williams Driver Academy member
France Alessandro Giusti[9] 2024 Formula Regional European Championship None as Williams Driver Academy member
Japan Sara Matsui[9] 2024 Karting (OKJ) None as Williams Driver Academy member

Former drivers

Driver Years Series competed F1 Team(s)
Canada Lance Stroll[10] 2016 FIA Formula 3 European Championship (2016) Williams (2017–2018)
Racing Point (2019–2020)
Aston Martin (2021–)
United Kingdom Oliver Rowland[11] 2018 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup (2018), Formula E (2018–19) None
Canada Nicholas Latifi[12] 2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2019) Williams (2020–2022)
United Kingdom Dan Ticktum[13][14] 2020–2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2020–2021) None
United Kingdom Jack Aitken[15] 2020–2021 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2020–2021), GT World Challenge Europe (2021) Williams (2020)
Israel Roy Nissany[16] 2020–2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2020–2022), F3 Asian Championship (2021) None
United States Logan Sargeant 2021–2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2022) Williams (2023–2024)
United Kingdom Oliver Gray 2022–2023 F4 British Championship (2022), FIA Formula 3 Championship (2023) None

See also

References

  1. ^ Barretto, Lawrence (8 April 2020). "The Williams Driver Academy: A pursuit of talent with a commercial upside". F1. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Jamie Chadwick joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams F1. 20 May 2019. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  3. ^ "Jamie Chadwick continues in the Williams Racing Driver Academy". www.williamsf1.com. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  4. ^ "British teen racer Zak O'Sullivan joins Williams Driver Academy | Formula 1®". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  5. ^ "Franco Colapinto joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams Racing. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Luke Browning joins the Williams Racing Driver Academy".
  7. ^ "Oleksandr Bondarev joins the Williams Racing Driver Academy".
  8. ^ "Lia Block to drive for Williams Racing in F1 Academy". Williams Racing. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  9. ^ a b "Alessandro Giusti and Sara Matsui join the Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams Racing. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  10. ^ "Williams sign Canadian Lance Stroll to young driver programme". Sky Sports. 27 November 2015. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Oliver Rowland gets Williams Formula 1 role for 2018". www.autosport.com. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  12. ^ "W Series star Jamie Chadwick joins Williams' Driver Academy | Formula 1®". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  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. ^ "Jack Aitken confirmed as Reserve Driver for ROKiT Williams Racing". Williams F1. 4 February 2020. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  16. ^ "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.
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