Williams Driver Academy

United Kingdom Williams Racing Driver Academy
Founded2016; 9 years ago (2016) (as Williams Young Driver Programme)
BaseGrove, Oxfordshire, England
Team principal(s)James Vowles
Current driversIndy NXT
United Kingdom Jamie Chadwick
FIA Formula 2
United Kingdom Zak O'Sullivan
United Kingdom Luke Browning
FR European Championship
France Alessandro Giusti
F1 Academy
United States Lia Block
Karting
Ukraine Oleksandr Bondarev
Japan Sara Matsui
Netherlands Dean Hoogendoorn
United States Lucas Palacio
United Kingdom 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.

Current drivers

Driver Began Current series Titles as academy member
United Kingdom Jamie Chadwick[1][2] 2019 European Le Mans Series W Series (2019, 2021–2022)
United Kingdom Zak O'Sullivan[3] 2022 Super Formula Championship None as Williams Driver Academy member
Argentina Franco Colapinto[4] 2023 TBA None as Williams Driver Academy member
United Kingdom Luke Browning[5] 2023 FIA Formula 2 Championship FIA F3 World Cup (2023)
Ukraine Oleksandr Bondarev[6] 2023 Italian F4 Championship None as Williams Driver Academy member
United States Lia Block[7] 2023 F1 Academy None as Williams Driver Academy member
France Alessandro Giusti[8] 2024 FIA Formula 3 Championship None as Williams Driver Academy member
Japan Sara Matsui[8] 2024 Karting (OKJ) None as Williams Driver Academy member
Netherlands Dean Hoogendoorn[9] 2024 Karting (OKJ) None as Williams Driver Academy member
United States Lucas Palacio[10] 2024 Karting None as Williams Driver Academy member
United Kingdom Will Green[11] 2024 Karting None as Williams Driver Academy member

Graduates to Formula 1

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

Driver Academy experience F1 experience with Williams F1 experience with other teams
Years Former series
Canada Lance Stroll 2016 FIA Formula 3 European Championship (2016) 2016–2018 Racing Point (2019–2020)
Aston Martin (2021–)
Canada Nicholas Latifi 2019 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2019) 2020–2022 —
United States Logan Sargeant 2021–2022 FIA Formula 2 Championship (2022) 2023–2024 —
Argentina Franco Colapinto 2023– FIA Formula 3 Championship (2023)
FIA Formula 2 Championship (2023–2024) 		2024 —

Former drivers

Driver Years Series competed F1 Team(s)
United Kingdom Oliver Rowland[12] 2018 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup (2018)
Formula E (2018–19) 		None
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 Kingdom Oliver Gray 2022–2023 F4 British Championship (2022)
FIA Formula 3 Championship (2023) 		None
  • Championship titles highlighted in bold.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Jamie Chadwick joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams F1. 20 May 2019. Archived from the original on 11 June 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Jamie Chadwick continues in the Williams Racing Driver Academy". www.williamsf1.com. Retrieved 21 March 2022.
  3. ^ "British teen racer Zak O'Sullivan joins Williams Driver Academy | Formula 1®". www.formula1.com. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  4. ^ "Franco Colapinto joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams Racing. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  5. ^ "Luke Browning joins the Williams Racing Driver Academy".
  6. ^ "Oleksandr Bondarev joins the Williams Racing Driver Academy".
  7. ^ "Lia Block to drive for Williams Racing in F1 Academy". Williams Racing. 14 November 2023. Retrieved 14 November 2023.
  8. ^ a b "Alessandro Giusti and Sara Matsui join the Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams Racing. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Dean Hoogendoorn joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams Racing. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Karting prodigy Lucas Palacio joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams Racing. Retrieved 18 October 2024.
  11. ^ "British Karting Star Will Green Joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". Williams Racing. Retrieved 17 December 2024.
  12. ^ "Oliver Rowland gets Williams Formula 1 role for 2018". www.autosport.com. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 May 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. ^ "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.