Williams announce surprise signing of former Alpine driver

Williams has announced the signing of Formula 3 champion Victor Martins to its F1 junior team.

Martins was long associated with the Alpine F1 academy, having been part of the organisation in 2018 when his junior category was getting off the ground.

However, Martins entered the new racing season without the support of the French manufacturer as he commenced a third season in Formula 2.

Martins graduated to F2 after winning the F3 title in 2022. The 24-year-old has taken two race wins and 14 podiums in the series so far, and will continue the current campaign as a Williams junior.

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

“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 has detailed Martins will take part in a private test behind the wheel of the FW45 this weekend from Monza, alongside fellow F2 driver Luke Browning.