Victor Martins joins Williams after his exit from Alpine's junior driver programme
Ahead of this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix, Williams Racing has announced that 2022 FIA Formula 3 Champion Victor Martins will be joining the its Driver Academy.
Martin won the closely contested 2022 FIA Formula 3 Championship, securing victory at the finale in Monza. The season saw the Frenchman achieve two wins, six podiums and one fastest lap.
He then went on to make his debut in Formula 2 in 2023, closing the season as top rookie and helped ART Grand Prix win the Teams’ Championship alongside teammate Théo Pourchaire. He continued in Formula 2 for 2024, stepping onto the podium five times across the season, including one victory in the Barcelona Sprint race.
Martins will remain with ART Grand Prix racing in Formula 2, joining existing Williams Racing Academy Driver Luke Browning who drives for Hitech GP in the series. Both drivers will be taking the wheel of the FW45 at as part of the TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) programme in Monza this weekend.
Commenting on the announcement, Martins noted: “I’m super happy to be joining the Williams Racing Driver Academy! This is a new chapter for me, but my goal remains the same – to push myself to the limit, both as a person and as a racing driver, and to make it to Formula 1.
"Williams is an iconic team with an incredible history, and I’m confident this is the best place to be to help me achieve my goals. This year, I’ll put all my focus into winning the Formula 2 Drivers’ Championship with ART Grand Prix and maximising this opportunity with the Driver Academy both on and off the track. I look forward to working with everyone at Williams as we embark on this new journey together."
Reflecting on the new addition to Williams driver programme, the Grove-based outfit's sporting director Sven Smeets insisted: “We’re thrilled to welcome Victor to the Williams Racing Driver Academy.
"He has repeatedly demonstrated that he is a talented driver who is capable of winning championships. We will continue to support Victor’s development on and off the track as part of the Academy and look forward to working with him in 2025.”
