Williams has signed reigning Italian F4 Champion, Kean Nakamura-Berta to its driver academy.
The Japanese-Slovak driver has already demonstrated consistency and pace all through his early profession, with a number of karting titles to his identify. He made his karting debut at seven years outdated, rapidly happening to compete in worldwide karting and securing each the 2021 CIK-FIA OKJ World Championship and the 2022 CIK-FIA OK European Championship.
Graduating to single seaters on the finish of 2023 within the F4 South East Asia Championship, Kean had a powerful debut marketing campaign securing two pole positions and a podium, additional including to this with two race wins and 6 additional podiums within the 2024 Components UAE Championship.
2025 was a breakout 12 months for the teenager as he secured the Italian F4 Championship with 9 wins and a number of podiums throughout the season. He’ll problem for the Components Regional Center East and Components Regional European championships in 2026.
As a part of the Academy, Kean can have the workforce’s full help and steering in nurturing his expertise and creating his expertise all through his development within the junior classes of motorsport.
The Academy helps drivers on each rung of the motorsport ladder, working with them on and off the observe to develop the talents essential to race on the high stage. It has a practice of supporting younger expertise, which has most not too long ago seen alumnus Franco Colapinto graduate to an F1 race seat.
„I am very excited to be becoming a member of the Williams F1 Workforce Driver Academy,“ stated Kean. „It is a workforce that has achieved a lot and has an enormous historical past, and I am proud to be a part of it.
„Racing in Components Regional can be a brand new problem,“ he continued, „however one which I am particularly trying ahead to. Thanks to everybody at Williams for believing in me, and I am unable to wait to begin this new chapter!“
„We’re thrilled to have Kean be a part of the Academy at this key second in his profession,“ added Sporting Director, Sven Smeets. „He has proven a number of promise, proving that he’s able to studying, adapting and in the end profitable championships. We sit up for working with him this 12 months and can watch keenly as he hits the observe.“
