In lap two of this weekly round-up, we look at Jenson Button rejoining Williams, Checo Perez on his first week at the Red Bull factory, and Maya Weug becoming Ferrari's first female academy driver.
Button rejoins Williams.
2009 F1 World Champion has rejoined the Williams team as a Senior Advisor. The team based in Oxfordshire was bought out by American investment group Dorilton Capital last summer which meant founder Sir Frank Williams, his daughter Claire and other members of the family are not involved in the team anymore. The company is going through a massive restructuring process that aims to get the team back to the top after three seasons of finishing last in the constructor's championship.
Button, 40, has signed a multi-year contract that shows his commitment. "As part of his role at Williams, Jenson will be able to call upon his over 30 years of motorsport experience to provide advice and guidance to the team at Grove, along with helping support and develop both race and academy drivers," Williams has said.
Perez ready for Red Bull test in 2021.
Sergio Perez has had his first week at the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes. The Mexican has promised to "overdeliver" in a seat he wasn't likely to get at one point last season. But after some competitive drives, and claiming a maiden win at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix, Red Bull snapped him demoting Alex Albon to reserve driver for this upcoming season.
Perez has spent most of his career driving for teams that are considered to be in the midfield. What will he be like in a car that could dethrone Mercedes from the top spot? “I’m going to make sure I overdeliver. If we have a car that can win the championship, I’ll make sure we win it. And if not, and we only have a car that’s good enough for third I will make sure that we finish second." said a very confident Perez this week.
Maya Weug signs as a Ferrari academy driver.
Sixteen-year-old Maya Weug has become the latest recruit to the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA) and made history in the process by being the first female to do so. She won her position in the program by coming first in the Girls on Track Rising Stars competition organized by F1's governing body the FIA with Ferrari.
Weug, who was born in Spain to a Belgian mother and a Dutch father, beat out four other finalists from France and Brazil to land the coveted spot in the FDA, which will see her competing in an F4 Championship season this year. Four members of the 2021 field - Red Bull's Sergio Perez, Aston Martin's Lance Stroll, Haas' Mick Schumacher, and Ferrari's own Charles Leclerc, have all progressed to Formula 1 seats from the program. The late Jules Bianchi, Leclerc Godfather, was also a graduate of the scheme.
The last woman to race in F1 was Italy's Lella Lombardi in 1976, one of only two females to start a Grand Prix in the sport's 71-year history.
And that is your weekly roundup for everything that happened in the world of Formula One. Check back next week for lap three of the Formula One Round-Up.
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