Williams F1 Academy member, Oliver Gray has graduated to F3 with Carlin for 2023 season.
Gray joined Williams’ F1 Academy in March 2022 and raced in British F4 for Carlin last season with the team’s support, in which he finished as vice-champion to Alex Dunne who has opted to move to GB3 for this season unlike Gray who now steps up to F3 with Carlin in “a dream come true” move.
The 17 year-old also clinched two race victories plus 14 further podiums in British F4 last season plus pole positions in two of the three races held at Silverstone, across the penultimate round of the campaign.
“I’m really excited to be stepping up to F3 with Carlin Racing in 2023,” commented Gray who also confirmed that he will continue to be part of Williams’ academy for a second season.
Gray will become the third Williams Academy driver to compete in F3 this season alongside Zak O’Sullivan and Franco Colapinto, who will race for PREMA and MP Motorsport respectively.
On what he expects to achieve this season with Carlin in F3 – who guided O’Sullivan to one pole position and two podium finishes, Gray added: “It’s going to be a big challenge but I’m really looking forward to it and to work with the team, who I get along with really well.”
Gray also indicated that this season hopefully “will be the first year of a two-year programme in F3, so the aim this season will be to really learn as much as possible about the car, circuits and tyres, all of which will be new tome.”
Carlin Team Principal, Trevor Carlin added that Gray is “a complete pleasure to have in the team” after a strong season together in 2022, although he warned that the step up to F3 is “big” despite their belief in Gray’s “potential” in a season which will mark “a steep learning curve.”
Carlin also iterated that improvement across the season will be Gray’s target, as he added: “Making steady but recognisable progress with every event will be the aim, and Ollie has the attitude and talent to be able to do that.”
Williams’ Sporting Director, Sven Smeets meanwhile felt that Gray’s step up to F3 is a “natural progression” after “a very strong” British F4 campaign last season.
Smeets also reflected on Gray’s progress last season as he concluded: “Throughout his first year as part of our Driver Academy, Ollie’s shown his talents on the track with numerous wins and podiums and while at Grove where he’s worked with the team.”
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