Williams has announced that Dan Ticktum will remain in his role as development driver with the team in 2021.

The 21-year-old joined the Grove outfit last year, impressing as he took on a busy simulator programme to aid with car development.

Ticktum will continue to build on the work he has done in this area in 2021, as well as being immersed with the team trackside where possible and at the factory.

Alongside his development driver commitments last year, Ticktum competed in Formula 2, finishing the season with one victory and three additional podiums in a strong rookie season. He will compete in F2 again this year, racing for Carlin and carrying the Williams Racing Driver Academy logo on both his car and overalls.

The Briton is no stranger to success, having triumphed in the Macau Grand Prix in both 2017 and 2018, whilst he finished runner-up in the 2018 FIA Formula 3 European Championship. He was previously named the winner of the prestigious BRDC McLaren Autosport Award and is a former winner of the Autosport National Driver of the Year. Ticktum also has experience of F1 machinery, having tested for Red Bull in 2019 in both Bahrain and the post-Spanish Grand Prix test in Barcelona.

"I am very happy to be continuing my partnership with Williams," said Ticktum. "It will be fun to get more time trackside this year as last year was quite difficult, so it will be nice to get more involved with the team at the track. I am looking forward to continuing my support in the sim, and I am very focused for this year. I still have a lot of work to do as my season hasn't started but I am privileged and very happy as always to be representing Williams."

"It's great to be continuing our working with Dan," added Simon Roberts, the Grove outfit's team principal. "He is a very exciting young driver with plenty of talent, which is evidenced by his back-to-back successes in Macau along with his impressive rookie season in F2 last year.

"We got to see first-hand his skills in the simulator and Dan played an important role in helping with car development, along with becoming a well-respected member of the team. We look forward to watching him grow and develop in 2021."