A second of Williams’ junior drivers has been confirmed for a promotion to Formula 2 next year, as Zak O’Sullivan has secured a seat at ART Grand Prix.
O’Sullivan finished second in this year’s FIA Formula 3 championship with four wins, a pole position and three fastest laps. His fellow Williams junior Franco Colapinto came fourth in the standings, and both will step up to F2 together in 2024.ART is leading the teams’ championship with one race to spare and its driver Theo Pourchaire is strong favourite to clinch the title in next month’s finale.
O’Sullivan said ART “has clearly demonstrated it has all the attributes to win, so I cannot wait to get started. ART GP have already made me feel very welcome. 2024 is set to be an exciting year and I’m ready for the challenge.”
He spent two seasons in F3, with pole position and a podium on home ground at Silverstone behind the high point of his rookie campaign. Before that he had raced only in British series, starting off in entry-level sportscar championship Ginetta Junior where he was runner-up, followed by a move into single-seaters with British Formula 4, where he was runner-up again. He then moved into GB3 where he became champion and earned Williams’ backing.
ART Grand Prix’s team boss Sebastien Philippe said O’Sullivan is “a driver we’ve been following for a long time, and he has consistently elevated his level of performance.
“His background and mindset align with ART GP’s mission of supporting young drivers to the highest levels of motorsport.
“It’s with pleasure and honour that we welcome a member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy. With proper winter preparation, his racing approach and adaptability should enable him to compete at the front.”
Aside from the two Williams juniors, the only other driver whose place on the F2 grid next year has been confirmed with a team is Mercedes junior Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Prema. However it is also known that Ferrari junior Oliver Bearman and Dennis Hauger will be racing in the series. Bearman is expected to be staying at Prema and Hauger will likely continue with MP Motorsport alongside the debuting Colapinto.
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