Oliver Rowland has secured a Formula 1 role with Williams for tꦦhe 2018 s🐲eason, having been named as the team’s official young driver.

Rowland, who claimed victories in Monaco and Hung🉐ary on his way to third place in the 2017 Formula 2 standings, will assist the team with simulator work at its Grove-based factory and will also drive Williams’ 2018 F1 challenger - the FW41 - during in-season testing at Barcelona’s Circuit de 💖Catalunya. 

The former Renault F1 development driver will combine his F1 duties alongside con♊testing the 2018/2019 FIA World Endurance Championship ‘superseason’ with the Ginetta-backed Manor LMP1 squad TRSM Racing.𓂃 

“I am pleased we hav🃏e secured the services of Oliver, who is a talented and highl𓆉y regarded young driver,” said deputy team principal Claire Williams. 

“He has raced at many Formula 1 circuits, and his experience and knowledge wil🔯l complement the team’s ongoing engineering work. His addition to Williams will further s🌱trengthen the team.”

“I am immensely proud to be joining Williams Martini Racing as their official young driver,” added Ro🦩wland. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for me and I will𝐆 be working as hard as I possibly can to help them develop the car this season. 

“Williams is a British team with a fantastic heritage and history which has made it one of t🦹he most respected teams in the sport. It’s always been my ambition to get a role in Formula 1 and I’m very excited to be doing that with Williams. 

“They have always given young drivers the o🌼pportunity to progress so it’s now up to me to make a good impression and further my development as a driver.  Hopefully with my hard work in the💙 simulator and test I can impress the team. 

“It’s certainly going to be an exciting challenge ahead and I wan♑t to help Williams as the team continues to work to close the gap to the front of the grid in 201🀅8.”

At 25, the 2015 Formula Renault 3.5 champion is older than both Williams’ full-time drivers Lance Stroll and Sergey Sirotkin, and younger than only reserve and development driver Robert Kubica (33), who will take part in his first Friday practice outing with the team ꦇat the Spanish Grand Prix in May.