Sergio Perez was the driver most linked with Russell’s seat, with the Mexican offering significant funding through sponsors may have appealed to the team’s new owners, Dorilton Capital. “Signing Daniel is another step forward in our long-term plan and will bring an exciting new dimension to the team, alongside Lando,” said Zak Brown, the team principal. We…. Which leads us nicely to…. Albon will stay with the team as a test and reserve driver, but it is Perez who will now be the fifth man in F1 to try to match his teammate Verstappen. Click on any team for more information or scroll down for full details on the entire grid. Mar 4, 2021, 2:35 AM Williams has retained the services of Jack Aitken as its reserve driver for the 2021 Formula 1 season, after the Anglo-Korean driver made his debut last year. The 22-year-old Russell very nearly delivered a fairytale debut at the Sakhir Grand Prix, arguably out-driving Bottas for large parts of the weekend, only for a botched Mercedes pit-stop and a puncture to dash his hopes of an unlikely victory. Williams’ acting team principal, Simon Roberts moved to quell speculation that the team was considering changing its 2021 line-up after his comments at the pre-Portuguese GP press conference suggested George Russell and Nicholas Latifi’s futures might not be as secure as first thought. The changes were supposed to come in at the end of 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic saw them push the switch back a year because factory shutdowns would not give teams sufficient time to develop their new cars. The opening Friday practice for the 2021 Emilia Romagna GP would see the Williams Racing Team produce an encouraging performance with Nicholas Latifi and George Russell finishing in 9th and 11th. Williams Racing have confirmed that Jack Aitken will continue in his role as the team’s official reserve driver for the 2021 Formula 1 season. Williams F1 is another team that has a lot of history in Formula One. There have been surprises, disappointments and nail-biting decisions, not to mention the constant bubble of rumour, but the announcement of Lewis Hamilton’s one-year contract with Mercedes means that the final piece of the jigsaw is in place. Prior to the team’s sale, former deputy team principal Claire Williams said both drivers would be retained for 2021. The 25-year-old has been an important member of the team since joining last year, making his Formula One debut with Williams at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix standing in for George Russell. The origins of the team can be traced back to 1977. “This is good news for our team, partners and of course our fans. Williams says both of its drivers have contracts for 2021. Briton Jamie Chadwick will continue as Williams' development driver for a third season in 2021. Follow i sport on Facebook for more F1 news, interviews and features. 13 days 5 hours ago. His best finish was P8 in the feature race at Spa-Francorchamps. Nikita Mazepin will take one seat in a multi-year deal, fuelling suggestions that his father, Dmitry is set to buy the team outright. "There is a lot [to report back to Williams]," Russell said, when asked by Motorsport.com if he had already identified lessons that … Williams have been bought out by Dorilton Captial, a US private investment firm, and they initially failed to deny rumours they were considering a change of direction in the cockpit. Sign-up now for access to a limited number of articles. Alongside him will remain Lance Stroll who has scored the only podium for Racing Point in a season that the team appears more competitive than ever. Williams: 2021 Latest News, Results, Drivers and Car Updates. With just over a month to go before preseason testing, Mercedes finally confirmed that Lewis Hamilton would remain with the team in 2021 — but only on a year-long contract. Gasly has been the star performer of the Red Bull driver stable outside of Max Verstappen; his victory at the Italian Grand Prix was well-earned and hugely popular. It was always unlikely that father Lawrence Stroll, who led the consortium in saving the team from financial difficulty, would move his son aside for another driver. “I’m sorry about that. Williams driver George Russell is "confident" the team can leapfrog Haas and Alfa Romeo in the standings next year after closing the gap to the rest of the field in 2020.. Roy Nissany will continue as Williams test driver for the 2021 season. “I probably caused a bit of confusion last week,” said Roberts. But yeah, ultimately I have a contract and I'm a Williams driver for 2021." 2019 The origins of the team can be traced back to 1977. Ferrari: Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz. As for 2022, he’s under pressure. It was the worst kept secret in the paddock that Sebastian Vettel would be heading to Racing Point for 2021 after being ditched by Ferrari without even the offer of a new contract. In 2021 there will be 2 rookie drivers among the 2021 drivers. The Spaniard had long been linked with a Renault comeback, even before Daniel Ricciardo’s departure was confirmed in response to Sainz’s jump to Ferrari. For Nicholas his session would see him have an off-track moment taking to the … Also being rebranded is Racing Point, which will be Aston Martin next year, and is also Vettel’s new team; the displaced Sergio Perez finally finding a berth at Red Bull after a stellar season, in place of Alex Albon. The Mexican could not have scripted a much better audition than the 2020 season as he drove his Mercedes-powered Racing Point to fourth in the drivers’ championship and picked up his first ever race win in Bahrain. to head both of his Ferrari Driver Academy rivals in Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman, who led for the first half of the season. Roy Nissany is to continue in his role as official test driver for the Williams Formula 1 team for the 2021 season. Ahead of the Sakhir race, Wolff said: “If George does well it’s an indication that one day he’s going to be in a good car and hopefully race for victories and World Championships – but that is far away. McLaren wasn’t looking to break up its young and promising partnership, but few resist the call of Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton took pole in a thrilling qualifying session at Imola, besting the Red Bulls of Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, The pair arrived in F1 during the same season and one or the other has largely dominated ever since. The Israeli, who joined the Grove team last year, is the first support driver to be formally confirmed by the new owners, who took over in September. Check here for latest versions. Aitken, who will contest both the Endurance and Sprint Cup legs of the series aboard a Lamborghini Huracan GT3 EVO, explained that there is "a lot to be learned by doing something a bit different". In the announcement, Vettel’s deal was said to take him beyond the 2021 season so the German is set to race under the new regulations that will be introduced in 2022. What’s different about this team is that it has always been a family-run team. It’s the end of the road for Haas’s current drivers. Chadwick remains with Williams as development driver Date published: March 1 2021 Jamie Chadwick will continue with the Williams team this season, staying in her role as a … In their place are two F2 drivers. “I firmly believe he’s earned the opportunity to graduate into Formula One based on his performances.”. Daniel Ricciardo and Lando Norris have been confirmed as McLaren’s drivers for 2021, following the departure of Carlos Sainz to Ferrari. They ended up selling the entire team though to Dorilton Capital, with the Williams family ending their involvement following the Italian Grand Prix. Haas have signed Schumacher Jr to a multi-year deal following his impressive season in F2. As development driver, Williams says the 21-year-old will complete work in its simulator and “continue to build on the work he has done in this area in 2021, as well as being immersed with the team trackside where possible and at the factory”, per a team statement. The 26-year-old will be cheaper and, they hope, quicker than Vettel, who has struggled to lay a glove on teammate Charles Leclerc since the unofficial switch to make the Monegasque Ferrari’s No 1. Alpine (formerly Renault): Fernando Alonso, Esteban Ocon. Roy Nissany will continue as Williams test driver for the 2021 season. The two-time Formula 1 champion is back. “If an asteroid hits the world, anything can happen,” team boss Toto Wolff said after the Portuguese Grand Prix in which Lewis Hamilton broke Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of 91 race wins. The yearly earnings of the 2021 F1 drivers (base salaries) 1. “His experience and determination will enable us to get the best out of each other to take the team towards the excellence that modern Formula 1 demands,” says team principal Cyril Abiteboul. He is a real team player and we wish him well for his future beyond McLaren.”, Renault got its French driver, who will partner Alonso. Mick Schumacher, son of the great Michael, was due to drive in free practice at the Nurburgring only for fog to halt his progress, suggesting he was being considered for a drive at Alfa next year, probably alongside the ageless Raikkonen, officially F1’s most experienced driver of all time. Gasly has been confirmed at AlphaTauri for 2021, Yuki Tsunoda will partner him. Shop the 2020 Teamwear range including T-Shirt, Polo, Jacket and special edition George Russell and Nicholas Latifi Formula 1 Team Caps. Team principal Toto Wolff has also committed his future to Mercedes, so the winning duo head into the ninth year of their collaboration.