Victor Martins signs with Williams Racing Driver Academy

ART Grand Prix driver Victor Martins has been confirmed as the newest member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy.

The 23-year-old becomes a member of the British outfit’s junior team with a strong record in single seater racing, including winning the 2022 Formula 3 title.

In his two previous seasons in Formula 2, Martins has achieved two victories, 14 podiums in total, and has taken pole on four occasions.

The Frenchman’s third campaign in the category got off to a fine start in Melbourne when he achieved the fifth Pole Position of his F2 career.

He will now become the second Williams junior on the F2 grid, after Hitech TGR’s Luke Browning, and in doing so is set to receive training and guidance to continue refining his skills on and off the racetrack.

Speaking following the announcement, Martins revealed how delighted he is to be joining such an “iconic” team.

“I’m super happy to be joining the Williams Racing Driver Academy,” said Martins. “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.”

Williams Racing Sporting Director Sven Smeets added: “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.”

Both Martins and Browning are also set to go behind the wheel of Williams' 2023-spec FW45 at Monza this weekend as part of the team's Testing of Previous Cars Programme (TPC).