For Victor Martins, what initially appeared to be a tentative first step has evolved into a career-defining springboard.
Since making his official Formula 1 debut during FP1 last year, at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix, Victor Martins has reached a new milestone. The Frenchman now balances a role as Development Driver for Williams racing with a top-flight Hypercar seat at Alpine in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
A landmark debut in Barcelona
Having been handed a lifeline by the Williams Driver Academy, Victor Martins took the wheel of the Williams FW47 for the opening practice session at Barcelona. In doing so, he became the fourth Frenchman on the current F1 grid, joining the elite company of Charles Leclerc, Pierre Gasly, and Esteban Ocon.
This opportunity carried significant weight, following a challenging Formula 2 campaign, most notably a frustrating weekend in Monaco. For Martins, Barcelona was the chance to prove his mettle under representative conditions, piloting the fastest machinery on the planet.
The technical edge
His time in the FW47 during FP1, coupled with extensive running in the TPC (Testing of Previous Cars) programme, provided Martins with the hands-on experience needed to influence the development of the FW48 and future car iterations. His technical feedback and maturity quickly convinced the Williams hierarchy to integrate him into a more structural role within the team.
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2026: Driving development at Grove
On 12 January 2026, Williams officially confirmed Martins’ promotion to Test and Development Driver for the 2026 season. Based at the team’s Grove headquarters, he works alongside industry veterans Oliver Turvey and Harrison Scott.
A central pillar of his remit involves a strategic asset for the new regulatory era: fine-tuning Williams’ state-of-the-art Driver-in-Loop (DIL) simulator. He is also tasked with spearheading the development of a bespoke simulator dedicated to the team’s young driver academy.
Williams is an iconic team with a storied history, and I am thrilled to be part of the project to bring this outfit back to the front of the grid,” Martins stated. “I’ve already had the chance to work closely with Alex [Albon] and Carlos [Sainz] during race weekends, and I’m eager to build on that momentum throughout 2026.”
Here is a short video of Victor Martins explaining his step up from F2 to F1. What a career !
A parallel charge with Alpine in WEC
Alongside his commitments at Grove, Martins has secured a seat on another of motorsport’s grandest stages. He joins the Alpine Endurance Team in the premier Hypercar category of the 2026 FIA WEC, sharing the #36 entry with Jules Gounon.
“Joining the Alpine Endurance Team in FIA WEC is a massive step in my career and a responsibility I don’t take lightly. Taking on my first 24 Hours of Le Mans with this team is a huge motivation,” he remarked. His Hypercar debut is slated for the Qatar 1812km at the end of March 2026.
Keep an eye on how the teams are performing on the grid by visiting this link on the latest revised lineups.
Carving a unique path
With this dual programme, Martins has established himself as one of the busiest French drivers in the international paddock. While he has yet to secure a full-time F1 race seat, unlike Leclerc at Ferrari or Gasly and Ocon at Alpine, he is forging his own distinct path. By combining technical depth in F1 with high-level competition in WEC, he is building a formidable reputation for both speed and engineering intelligence.
Martins’ CV remains impressive: 2020 Formula Renault Eurocup Champion, 2022 FIA Formula 3 Champion, and top rookie in his 2023 F2 debut. Across three seasons in Formula 2 with ART Grand Prix, he secured multiple victories, including a dominant performance in the 2025 Qatar Feature Race.
Looking ahead
To Williams, Martins is more than just a technical asset; he is a benchmark for the next generation of Academy talent. His development role is a calculated bet on the future: by mastering the technical DNA of the FW48, he positions himself as the natural successor should a race seat become vacant.
The versatility Martins is demonstrating in 2026 juggling high-downforce single-seaters with complex Hypercars highlights a new era of driver development where an F1 career is no longer a linear pursuit. His journey is already inspiring the next wave of French talent, and his chapter with Williams is far from over.
Last, let’s watch out this video of Martins upon his first testing with Williams at Monza Circuit.
