EXCLUSIVE: Zak O’Sullivan is next Williams star on F1 production line after landing coveted seat
Williams academy driver Zak O’Sullivan replaces Alex Albon for FP1 at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend and will make his Formula 2 debut next year with ART Grand Prix
It was only two years ago that Zak O’Sullivan started to take the possibility of a Formula 1 career seriously.
And at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix today, the British teenager experiences his first Formula One race weekend action. O’Sullivan, 18, of Cheltenham, is one of six rookies on the track for the Yas Marina Circuit F1 season finale’s first practice.
Having been a full-fledged member of the illustrious team’s driver program since February of last year, he will be operating Alex Albon’s vehicle at Williams. The young driver, who has been a rising star in the British motorsport industry since his karting days, never really started to dream of being the next Lewis Hamilton until that agreement was formalized.
“It’s everyone’s distant end-goal, but I wouldn’t say it was a massive focus until quite recently,” he stated to Mirror Sport. We simply proceeded one step at a time. After reviewing my performance for that year, I would go to the next area. I was, of course, doing really well. The true game-changer, though, was when Williams agreed to back me.
That’s when things started to get a little more serious and there was a greater likelihood. Since then, I don’t think my strategy has altered in the slightest; it’s just that having the support of an academy allows you to start looking a little further ahead.
“I don’t think it’s feasible to enter Formula One without attending an academy. Therefore, it was really crucial to have that covered and crossed off the list, and it offered me some hope.”
This year, O’Sullivan came in second in Formula 3, trailing only the Brazilian Gabriel Bortoleto, the clear winner. It was sufficient to have him promoted to Formula 2 in 2024, where he would race for the ART Grand Prix team, which is predicted to win the championship this year.
A new generation of vehicles will be utilized in the 2024 Formula Two season, raising questions about how the grid’s power balance will be determined. After weighing offers from other clubs, O’Sullivan is optimistic about a successful debut season in the competition because to ART’s strength this year.
“It’s not always necessary to do the second year in F3, but in this instance, it worked out pretty well,” he stated. I was able to use that to my advantage and secure a good F2 seat with ART, where I am presently winning the championship. There were several choices. In Formula Three, a leader in the race typically has three or four choices during the season.
“After weighing them all, we decided that ART was the best option for us. Though they made their lineup decisions early in the season, there was a chance to remain with Prema. I got along with them quite well, so it’s not like there was a horrible connection or anything, but we were looking about nevertheless, and at the end of the year, we parted ways. It was probably the best course of action for both sides, in my opinion.”
He could be able to secure a full-time F1 driving if he does well in that series. After all, Williams has a proven track record of giving novices a chance; in fact, its academy recently saw the promotion of both Nicholas Latifi and Logan Sargeant to the Formula 1 ranks.
With his youthful demeanor, O’Sullivan is aware of the necessary steps to become part of the established British team on the Formula One grid. “I hope to be the one that makes it! There are a lot of strong, competitive British drivers in the junior series,” he stated.
It’s really upbeat. Being a part of Williams’ dynamic academy is a terrific experience. My entire concentration is on Formula 2, but if I perform well there, opportunities to compete in Formula 1 will become much more accessible. Thus, I’ll make the most of the upcoming Formula Two season by focusing on my controllables. I don’t think it does very much, thus I never hold myself to high standards for performance.”
