Zak O’Sullivan says the chance to test Williams’ 2023 Formula 1 car at this weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix can boost his junior career.
The 18-year-old Williams academy driver will drive the FW45 during the first practice session (FP1) on Friday.
O’Sullivan finished second in the 2023 Formula 3 Championship and will race in Formula 2 with ART Racing in 2024.
“You have to have self-confidence being in the sport I’m in so of course I believe in my ability,” he said.
“It’s a great morale boost, confidence boost, for all of us really to get this opportunity to be in FP1,” O’Sullivan said.
“It’s very useful, especially to get in a current F1 car is quite a rare opportunity so I’m very thankful to Williams for this chance and I’m going to make the most of it.”
O’Sullivan, from Cheltenham, is a former British champion, winning the GB3 title in 2021 prior to progressing to Formula 3.
He will be one of a number of rookie drivers given the wheel in Abu Dhabi, and will share driving duties alongside fellow Williams academy driver Franco Colapinto.
The teenager has previous experience of driving a Formula 1 car, having completed 32 laps of Silverstone’s Grand Prix circuit in the Aston Martin AMR21 in 2022.
That opportunity came after he followed in the footsteps of Jenson Button, Lando Norris and George Russell in winning the Autosport Young Driver of the Year award.
“F1 is very, very physical on the neck so [I’ve been doing] a lot of neck training throughout the past couple of months, getting a few odd looks in the gym,” he said.
“And of course simulator training as well at Williams, really getting to grips with the current car and all the procedures I need to be able to know.”
‘Working closely’ with Vowles
Current Mercedes driver Russell is the most recent former Williams driver to go on to win a Formula 1 race, when he took victory in the 2022 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.
O’Sullivan joined Williams’ academy in February 2022 and said the “end goal” for both sides would see him one day racing one of their F1 cars, although he is coy about that prospect.
“That primarily depends on my results in F3, F2, so my main focus is on having a good F2 season and really working on myself internally,” he said.
He has, however, been “working closely” with Williams team principal James Vowles, who joined the team from Mercedes at the start of this year.
“[I’m] very thankful for him to give me the opportunity to do FP1 as well, so it’s been great getting to know James this year and hopefully more years in the future,” O’Sullivan said.
“He’s got a lot of experience which is something you can’t really buy in motorsport. Some of the things racing related, it’s a bit harder to relate to but all the experience he’s got from working with drivers like Lewis Hamilton and George Russell is invaluable.”
The step up to F2 next year will see O’Sullivan tread a path well taken by those racing in Formula 1.
Four current F1 drivers are former winners of the F2 title since it was created in 2017, while former Alpha Tauri driver Nyck de Vries also clinched the title in 2019.
ART is also a team with a track record of success, with Russell and current Williams driver Alex Albon among past alumni.
There will be challenges compared to F3, not least in getting used to driving a brand new, faster, heavier car with different tyre degradation, as well as learning to pitstop mid-race for the first time.
O’Sullivan has already amassed 25 points towards his FIA Super Licence by virtue of his second-placed finish in this season’s Formula 3 Championship, but hopes next year will take him another step closer to reaching his goal of eventually racing in Formula 1.
“I think it’s almost obligatory to compete in F2 prior to F1 so hopefully I can have a good year to put me in good stead to reach that dream,” O’Sullivan said.