Jost Capito is keen to improve and redevelop the Williams driver academy and admits on discussions about potential Red Bull branding on 2022 car.
Young driver academies are becoming a more integral part of the modern day F1 team. Most teams have them but all to different success levels. Red Bull have, for a long time, set the standard and the likes of Ferrari and Alpine are good as well. Williams do have one, but it is a far cry from the multimillion pound endeavours of some of their rivals.
The academy has produced some top talent in recent years with the likes of Jack Aitken, Roy Nissany and most notably Dan Ticktum, who in August of this year was released by Williams. But it isn’t a full-fledged one like those of the manufacturer teams. But Capito wants to rebuild and expand the programme to help more drivers.
“We will have to restructure and review our junior programme because I want to improve it and want to make it a real junior programme,” said Capito when asked by FormulaRapida.net. This a reiteration of the drive and determination he has to get Williams fighting on all fronts again. You’d think a driver academy wouldn’t be the priority at the Grove-based team, but long term, it can more than pay for itself.
“This discussion is just starting and just kicking off,” he added. “I think for the future we must have a serious and a proper junior programme.” It’s only in the pipeline for now and is a long term project for long term results but the intention and conviction is clear.
Last month Williams formally announced they’d be carrying on with Nicolas Latifi for 2022 alongside former Red Bull driver Albon who is still tied closely to the Austrian team. It quelled any further speculation about who would be driving for the team next year and it’s a move that was not only largely anticipated.
With Albon moving in, it remains to be seen if there will be Red Bull branding on the Williams car. Capito is no stranger to them as he worked with the company during his Volkswagen days. But he clarified that if anything happens, it won’t be only because of the Thai’s arrival in the F1 team.
“Not because of Alex’s arrival but we are in various discussions,” said Capito. “It doesn’t mean that Red Bull comes on the car or not. I’ve worked with Red Bull a long time, I first worked with Red Bull in the late 90s when I was at Sauber so I’ve got a relationship with Red Bull since then and I’m friends with the guys from Red Bull but it doesn’t mean that they have to be on the car. We’ll see.”
Connections with one of the biggest teams in F1 can only be a good thing and will help for sure should we see any Red Bull associated brands on the resurgent Williams car in 2022. Capito isn’t ruling it out which is interesting.
The article was written by Ollie Pattas
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