Williams confirms Aitken as reserve driver
Jack Aitken, who replaced George Russell at last year's Sakhir Grand Prix, retains his role as reserve driver on the Williams team for the coming season.
During the presentation of the car, Williams took the opportunity to formalize the British Jack Aitken as the reserve driver, a role he already held last year after leaving Renault’s junior program.
“We are happy to keep Jack for the 2021 season,” said the team boss, Simon Roberts. “He is a great talent and has quickly become a highly valued member of the team.”
Contractor last year at the Sakhir Grand Prix to cover for the absence of George Russell, himself replacing a recovering Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, Jack Aitken has already tasted the particular flavor of a Formula 1 Grand Prix start.
« He really impressed us with his performance at the Sakhir Grand Prix last year in Bahrain, rising to the challenge at short notice to deliver a strong performance throughout the weekend,” Roberts continues. « Jack is a talented individual who works incredibly hard, and we are looking forward to seeing him contribute to the team once again this season.
Aitken is very grateful to the Grove team and intends to do everything possible to help the team progress.
« After offering me one of the most special moments of my career to date last year, I am absolutely thrilled to continue with Williams as the reserve driver, he said. « During the short time I have spent at Grove, I have already made many friends and have a deep desire to succeed within the team.
Aitken’s spin, a key moment in the Sakhir Grand Prix.
If his qualifications had gone smoothly, outperforming Räikkönen and Fittipaldi and finishing within a tenth of his teammate Latifi, his race, on the other hand, was eventful.
The young Briton finished in 16th place just ahead of the other rookie, Pietro Fittipaldi, but mainly marked the race with his spectacular spin in the straight line of the start, hitting the barrier and leaving his front wing in the middle of the track.
This incident will trigger the safety car’s intervention and will lead to a magnificent end of the race due to the confusion in the Mercedes pits and Sergio Perez’s incredible comeback, winning his first Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Irony of fate, unintentionally, Aitken deprived the usual holder of his steering wheel, his compatriot George Russell, of his first success in F1!
This season, Aitken is expected to take part in several FP1 sessions and should also have a program in Endurance, after 3 seasons in Formula 2 with the Campos team.
