Felipe Nasr (BRA) Williams FW36. Formula One Testing, Day Four, Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain, Saturday, 22 February 2014 © Sutton Images. No reproduction without permission
"I'm really happy to be joining the Williams family,” said Nasr. “They have a great history in the sport and some of the greatest Brazilian drivers of all time have driven for the team, so it's an honour to join names such as Piquet, Senna and Massa. This is a fantastic opportunity for me to make the next step in my career and I can't wait to get behind the wheel of a Formula One car for the first time in Bahrain."
Nasr began karting in Brazil at the age of seven and won several titles before making his open wheel racing debut in 2008 in the final round of the Formula BMW Americas season. For 2009 he moved to Europe and competed in the Formula BMW championship, claiming the title in his first season with seven wins in 16 starts. In 2010 and 2011 he competed in the British Formula Three championship, finishing in fifth position in his first year and claiming the title in 2011 after securing seven wins.
The 2012 season saw Nasr move to the GP2 Series with DAMS where he finished the championship as the second highest placed rookie and in tenth place overall. That year he also competed in the Daytona 24 Hour, finishing third overall with Michael Shanks Racing. For 2013 he joined Carlin Motorsport, finishing fourth in the GP2 standings.
"Felipe has a strong track record of success in his career so far and we have been watching him closely for a while,” said Williams founder and team principal Sir Frank Williams. “We have a track record at Williams of bringing through new talent and giving them a chance to show what they can do on the world's biggest stage. By driving in five FP1 sessions this season, Felipe will have the perfect chance to showcase his skills and I'm confident he will be a strong addition to our driver roster."