Williams Confirms Victor Martins as Canadian GP Reserve Amid Schedule Clash

The Williams F1 team has confirmed that Victor Martins will serve as its reserve driver at this weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, stepping in for regular reserve Luke Browning who is competing in Super Formula at Suzuka. Martins, a former Alpine junior now racing in the World Endurance Championship for Alpine, joined Williams' academy in 2025 and has since taken on test and development duties.

Why it matters:

The move ensures Williams has experienced trackside backup at a key race weekend, while also giving Martins valuable exposure to F1 operations. More importantly, it highlights the team's ongoing resource management as they work through a difficult start to 2026—one that saw them struggle with an overweight chassis and delayed upgrades.

The details:

• Browning is racing in the fourth round of Super Formula at Suzuka, forcing Williams to call on Martins, who has two consecutive 11th-place finishes in WEC this season.
• Martins previously appeared in FP1 for Williams at the 2025 Spanish Grand Prix and has been working closely with Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon on simulator development.
• Miami offered a brighter picture: Sainz and Albon finished ninth and tenth, marking Williams' first double points finish of 2026.
• Sainz revealed the upgrade package used in Miami was originally intended for the season opener in Australia, but delays pushed its arrival. He described the car as now “performing at least at the level of the midfield cars,” though still overweight.

What's next:

Sainz cautioned that a proper turnaround won't happen before the last third of the season. “We have a few bits and pieces coming for the next couple of races,” he said, but expects the full recovery to take months. Williams will aim to build on Miami's momentum in Canada, with Martins on standby and further upgrades planned through the summer.