Williams has signed former Red Bull Junior Team member Dan Ticktum to its young driver programme.
Ticktum, who was dropped by Red Bull following an unsuccessful start to his season in Japanese Super Formula earlier this year, has been appointed as the team’s development driver. He will have a “busy” simulator programme and attend two F1 races with the team.“It is a privilege to be joining the Williams Racing Driver Academy, especially given Williams’ incredible heritage in our sport,” said Ticktum. “The time in the simulator and experience working with the team will prove invaluable for my development.”
Ticktum finished second to Mick Schumacher in Formula 3 last year and made his Formula 1 test debut with Red Bull in Bahrain this season. He will race for DAMS in his first full season of Formula 2 next year.
Williams’ deputy team principal Claire Williams described Ticktum as “another exciting young British talent” to join the team.
“His ability behind the wheel has been demonstrated with back-to-back successes at the prestigious Macau Grand Prix in 2017 and 2018,” Williams added. “Dan’s technical expertise will prove invaluable to the team and we are looking forward to helping him grow and develop in 2020.”
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2019 F1 season
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Only Facts!
17th December 2019, 9:48
One year race ban for things he did on track, some years ago. Road rage type.
Fierce tweets accusing other team of cheating when he’s loosing.
Mouth before brains.
A mix of Vettel and Alonso? Villeneuve offspring?
Hugh (@hugh11)
17th December 2019, 10:31
A more recent example is him crashing out at Macau just this year because he was going too fast through yellow flags trying to do his qualy lap regardless, and hitting the car that crashed. So everything you said is still relevant, before someone comes in saying “oh but it was ages ago! he’s matured!” No. He Hasn’t.
anon
17th December 2019, 11:23
@hugh11, you could also add in the toxic attitude he showed to the Super Formula team he worked with in 2019, where he refused to accept their set up and driving advice on how to get the best performance out of the SF19 and the tyres they use in that series (some have suggested that Ticktum’s attitude and the feedback from the Super Formula team he drove with was the final straw that made Red Bull cut him loose).
Having ignored their advice and acting rather rudely towards the rest of the team, he then proceeded to blame them when he was off the pace. That included complaining that they should have sent his chassis for more testing because he believed it was damaged – damage that would have been caused by him crashing the car in the first place.
As you say, he’s not shown any real signs of maturing, and if the experience from Super Formula is anything to go by, his attitude is actively harming his progression as it seems he is not prepared to learn the necessary set up skills to advance.
Bruno Verrari
17th December 2019, 10:39
Those three have won seven WDC titles – and could probably have made it at least 10, with some more luck…
If Dan manages to be a mix, as tou say, that would mean two championships (Kimi snd Jenson have one)… ot bad!!!
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
17th December 2019, 15:26
I think williams don’t want to miss on someone wrecking their cars to bits.
RIP RWR
18th December 2019, 9:58
Williams is not even a joke anymore. This is tragedy
DAllein (@)
17th December 2019, 12:13
OMG, his license is supposed to be confiscated and terminated, and thry give this driver a drive *facepalm*
tonyyeb (@tonyyeb)
17th December 2019, 12:54
This article is worse than what the face of it is. Williams must be SERIOUSLY desperate for cash.
Ronald
18th December 2019, 7:46
My thought excactly. But who the hell is paying for this Ticktum guy? Is daddy rich?
RocketTankski
17th December 2019, 14:19
There’s perhaps a danger here that he’ll jump out of the simulator, run past the yellow warning cones and crash into someone
allstargp
17th December 2019, 14:58
Classic Williams move.
Someone save this team from itself.
Islander
17th December 2019, 15:21
Dan impressed Williams with his caring considerate kind demeanour and the curtesy he shows to everyone, esp on track. A nicer racer is so hard to find.
ColdFly (@)
17th December 2019, 22:31
After Ticktum will there also be a role for Raghunathan?
I never thought that Maldonado at Williams was a true golden era for the team.
Dutchguy (@justarandomdutchguy)
18th December 2019, 12:16
If Haas ever get tired of Romain Grosjean, maybe Williams want a 3rd crash magnet
Future past
18th December 2019, 9:56
lol Williams need to adjust their future to their “great” future cars :P
AJ
18th December 2019, 18:36
I thought F1 was trying to “be diverse” and “place drivers from all cultures and economic backgrounds”. Yet here I see another rich british white kid.
Seppo (@helava)
19th December 2019, 17:01
Williams supporting Ticktum is a bridge too far for me. I held out hope that Williams would be able to pull it together after the last two years, but I’d they’re giving this jackass an opportunity, then I *don’t want* them to get their act together. Ticktum has no place in racing, and Williams disgraces their reputation by enabling him.
Foggy
19th December 2019, 23:55
I really can’t believe Williams have gone down this road with Ticktum, there is a wealth of young talent out there and they choose someone with this clowns track record ….. it’s beyond astounding, Williams are likely to seriously regret this decision.