Forward of the 2024 Components One season, Williams have introduced Alessandro Giusti and Sara Matsui as the 2 latest members of their Components 1 junior workforce.
Giusti , a 17-year-old Frenchman, joins the Academy following a powerful debut season within the Components Regional European Championship, ending sixth within the driver standings, securing three wins and 4 podiums in 2023.
The younger Frenchman started his journey in karting, discovering success in quite a few nationwide and worldwide karting championships. He made his single-seater debut within the 2021 French Components 4 Championship, profitable two races and taking six podium finishes. His sophomore 12 months in French F4 noticed him topped Champion, scoring 12 podiums, six pole positions and two victories in 2022, earlier than shifting on to FRECA in 2023.
Williams confirmed that Giusti will compete within the Components Regional European Championship with ART Grand Prix in 2024.
“I’m so excited to be becoming a member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy. It actually feels particular to be becoming a member of such a prestigious Components 1 workforce. I can’t wait to start out this journey and work carefully with the workforce on my growth,” added Guisti.
A memorable first go to to Grove for Alessandro and Sara! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/Lbeytczxn7
— Williams Racing (@WilliamsRacing) January 18, 2024
Sara Matsui is a 13-year-old karting star from Japan who joins the Driver Academy as a 2022 Ladies on Observe Rising Stars Finalist. She has competed in a number of nationwide karting collection, together with the 2021 JAF Kart Championship FR-Jr Cadets and the 2022 JAF Kart Championship FP-Jr, each of which she completed third general.
Matsui has continued to enhance her expertise all through 2023, attending the HONDA Racing Faculty and competing in collection such because the JAF Native Kart Championship FS-125/X30 Division and the GPR Karting Junior class the place she scored two podiums. Sara additionally impressed within the 2023 OK-N Junior Champions of the Future Academy Program, ending eighth general out of 24 international opponents.
In 2024, Matsui will drive within the OKJ class with Kart Republic in addition to compete within the 2024 Champions of the Future Academy supported by F1 Academy.
Sara Matsui: “It is an honour to be a part of the Williams Racing Driver Academy and I am grateful for the chance to be working with such an historic workforce. I am trying ahead to constructing my expertise in Europe and I can not watch for the season to start out!”
Talking of the 2 new younger skills, Sven Smeets, Sporting Director, Williams Racing commented: “We’re delighted to announce Alessandro and Sara as the most recent members of the Williams Racing Driver Academy.
“Alessandro has demonstrated nice potential behind the wheel in each French F4 and final 12 months in FRECA, with spectacular performances in qualifying and races. Sara is likely one of the rising stars in karting, delivering promising leads to her house nation of Japan and being a 2022 Ladies on Observe Rising Stars Finalist. We look ahead to supporting their growth as they go racing in 2024 and past.”
At present, the Williams Driver Academy options eight drivers: Jamie Chadwick, Zak O’Sullivan, Franco Colapinto, Luke Browning, Oleksandr Bondarev, Lia Block, Alessandro Giusti and Sara Matsui.
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