A few weeks before the first test drives in Formula 1, Williams made an important personnel decision.
As the Formula 1 racing team from Great Britain officially announced on Monday, Victor Martins will take over the duties as the new test and reserve driver in the 2026 season. The Frenchman is moving up to the team from the in-house Driver Academy.
In addition, Martins will compete for Alpine in the FIA World Endurance Championship in the 2026 season.
“Williams is a legendary team with an incredible history and I’m looking forward to being part of the project to get this team back to the top of the grid,” said the new replacement for Alexander Albon and Carlos Sainz. “I have already worked with Alex and Carlos during race weekends and look forward to continuing this work with the team in 2026.”
The 24-year-old came to Williams at the beginning of last year, having previously been a member of competitor Alpine’s youth program. Martins already has a lot of experience in formula racing: in 2021 he competed in Formula 3 for the first time, which he even won the following year. In 2023 he moved up to Formula 2, where he initially finished fifth and seventh the following year. In the 2025 season he finished eleventh in the drivers’ standings.
New replacement driver plays “crucial role” for Williams
As Williams has now announced, Martins will “take on the role of test and development driver alongside Oliver Turvey and Harrison Scott after graduating from the academy”. He will “play a crucial role in shaping the team’s development programs.”
Sven Smeets, Sports Director of the Williams F1 Team, emphasized: “He is a talented driver who has always provided valuable advice and feedback to the team, improving our performance on the track and supporting Alex and Carlos throughout the 2025 season. His recent experience with the FW47 in the first free practice session in Barcelona and his support of the TPC (Testing of Previous Cars, editor’s note) program give him the practical experience needed to have a real impact on the development of the FW48 and future vehicle programs.”