Williams has named Victor Martins as its official check and improvement driver for the 2026 Method 1 season.
The 24-year-old joined their junior driver improvement programme final 12 months. He was briefly affiliated with Alpine, and can reunite with the producer this as he drives for his or her World Endurance Championship crew.
Martins made his debut in an official F1 follow session on the Spanish Grand Prix final 12 months. Nevertheless the 2022 Method 3 champion skilled a disappointing third season in Method 2.
Having completed fifth as a rookie with ART in 2023, then slipped two locations in 2024, Martins entered his third season with hopes of difficult for the title. However regardless of profitable two characteristic races he ended the season eleventh within the standings, seven locations behind fellow Williams junior Luke Browning in his first full 12 months within the class.
Martins will work alongside Oliver Turvey and Harrison Scott on the crew’s improvement programme utilizing its driver-in-loop simulator.
Williams sporting director Sven Smeets described Martins as “a gifted driver who has constantly given invaluable steerage and suggestions to the crew, enhancing our on-track efficiency and supporting Alex [Albon] and Carlos [Sainz Jnr] all through the 2025 season.
“His current expertise driving the FW47 in Barcelona and supporting the TPC [Testing of Previous Cars] programme offers him the real-world context to make actual affect on the event of the FW48 and future automobile programmes.”
Martins thanked Smeets and crew principal James Vowles for his new alternative. “Williams is an iconic crew with an unbelievable historical past and I’m excited to be a part of the undertaking to convey this crew again to the entrance of the grid,” he mentioned. The crew rose to fifth place within the constructors’ championship final 12 months.
View the present checklist of 2026 F1 drivers and groups
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