Williams has confirmed that Felipe Nasr has joined the team as test and reserve driver for the 2014 season. The Brazilian driver got his first running in the FW36 on the final day of testing in Bahrain, ending the day an impressive fourth fastest.
In his new role Nasr will attend all Grand Prix and stand in should Felipe Massa and Valtteri Bottas not be able to race. He will also take the wheel of the car in three tests and five FP1 sessions. This will be combined with factory based work in the team’s simulator to support the continued development of the car.
“I’m really happy to be joining the Williams family,” Nasr said. “They have a great history in the sport and some of the greatest Brazilian drivers of all time have driven for the team, so it’s an honour to join names such as [Nelson] Piquet, [Ayrton] Senna and [Felipe] Massa. This is a fantastic opportunity for me to make the next step in my career and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of a Formula One car for the first time in Bahrain.”
Nasr has had an impressive racing career to date, most recently coming fourth in the 2013 GP2 championship, racing for Carlin Motorsport. He started karting in Brazil at the age of seven, winning several titles before making his open wheel racing debut in 2008 in the final round of the Formula BMW Americas season. In 2009 he competed in the Formula BMW Championship and won the title in his first season, taking seven wins from 16 starts. For 2010 he moved to British Formula 3, finishing fifth before claiming the title in 2011. He made his GP2 debut in 2012 racing with DAMS and finished as the second highest placed rookie and tenth overall.
“Felipe has a strong track record of success in his career so far and we have been watching him closely for a while,” Team Principal and founder Frank Williams revealed. “We have a track record at Williams of bringing through new talent and giving them a chance to show what they can do on the world’s biggest stage. By driving in five FP1 sessions this season, Felipe will have the perfect chance to showcase his skills and I’m confident he will be a strong addition to our driver roster.”
The 'H' Duct 
3 thoughts on “Felipe Nasr joins Williams”