Williams add two more youngsters to Driver Academy for 2024 season
Williams has announced the signing of former French F4 champion Alessandro Giusti and karting star Sara Matsui to its driver academy ahead of the 2024 season.
Frenchman Giusti, 17, joins the academy after a debut season in the local European Formula 1 championship. There he finished sixth in the drivers’ standings with three wins and four podiums. Year-end report: Williams’ progress in building promising 2023 campaign
After a successful karting career, he competed in the French Formula 4 Championship in 2021, initially finishing sixth in the standings, before switching to a single-seater the following year, achieving two wins, six poles and 12 podiums.
Williams has confirmed that Giusti will again compete in the regional Formula 1 European Championship in 2024, this time representing the established ART Grand Prix team. Meanwhile, Matsui joined the Japan Karting Academy at 13 as a Girls Star Track finalist in 2022.
Giusti joins Williams as French F4 champion and winner of the European Formula 1 Championship.
He competed in several national karting series, including the 2021 JAF Kart FR-Jr Cadets Championship and the 2022 JAF Kart FP-Jr Championship, finishing third overall in both events. In 2023, Matsui attended the Honda Racing School and competed in divisions such as the JAF Local Kart Championship FS-125/X30 Division and the GPR Kart Junior Class and placed 8th out of 24 competitors worldwide in the OK-N Junior Champions . future. Academy program.
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Next season, Matsui will ride with Kart Republic in the OKJ class and participate in the Future Academy Champions 2024 with the support of the F1 Academy. Williams also explained that Giusti and Matsui “will have the full support and guidance of the team as they continue to develop and develop their skills throughout their motorsport careers.”
Williams Racing sporting director Sven Smits said he was “delighted” with the team’s latest signings and “looks forward to supporting their development going forward”. Matsui has attracted attention in the karting world for his impressive achievements.
“Alessandro showed great potential behind the wheel in French F4 and FRECA last year, achieving impressive results in qualifying and races,” he said.
“Sarah is one of karting’s rising stars, with promising results in her native Japan and a finalist for the 2022 Girls Track Rising Stars.”
Giusti said: “I am delighted to be joining the Williams Racing Driver Academy. Being part of such a prestigious Formula 1 team is very special. “I look forward to starting this journey and working closely with the development team.”
Matsui added: “It is a great honor to be part of the Williams Racing Driver Academy and I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such a historic team. “I can’t wait to gain experience in Europe and start the season!”
Williams’ Driver Academy, which has produced four F1 graduates so far – Lance Stroll, Nicolas Latifi, Jack Aitken and Logan Sargeant – recently added American racer Leah Block to the program, who looks set to represent the team at the F1 Academy from 2024. grid .
