Williams sporting director Sven Smeets has hinted funding had not been solely behind Zak O’Sullivan’s ART departure in Method 2, after he was changed by fellow Williams junior Luke Browning.
O’Sullivan introduced following the Monza occasion that he would not be completing his rookie campaign, citing funding points as the rationale to be stepping away.
Changing him at ART was Browning, who completed third in F3 this time period and had been within the championship combine heading into the ultimate race.
Talking completely to Motorsport.com, Smeets hinted that funding had not been solely in charge for two-time race winner O’Sullivan’s sudden ART departure.
“Between Zak and ART, that is a private problem,” he mentioned. “We have now nothing to do with that.
“I can verify, although, that Zak continues to be within the Academy, so Zak has not left the Academy.
“We now should see, within the subsequent few months, what we are going to do collectively. The ball can even be within the courtroom of Zak’s administration a bit. For the remainder, I can not actually elaborate on that and it is extra of a query to them, what occurred with ART.”
Zak O’Sullivan, ART Grand Prix
Photograph by: Method Motorsport Ltd
Pressed on whether or not Williams may have offered extra help to fill O’Sullivan’s finances shortfall, Smeets added: “That is all the time a troublesome query. There are agreements in place, and naturally, I can not elaborate on that.
“Between them and ART one thing occurred, and that was the conclusion ART drew from that. They finally mentioned: we can not proceed with one another.
“However, as I mentioned, Zak continues to be within the Williams household. We’ll proceed with one another and till the top of the yr, he’s with us.”
Browning set for Hitech 2025 F2 seat
O’Sullivan’s exit got here on the excellent second for Browning, who joined fellow F3 drivers Gabriele Mini and Christian Mansell in making his F2 debut on the Baku streets, an opportunity that got here due to his Williams hyperlinks.
“I feel ART was in touch with a number of folks,” mentioned Smeets. “However they mentioned: ‘look, this yr the concept was to do that with Williams as effectively’, partially. In order that they then gave the chance to Luke.”
The transfer to ART meant Browning switched away from Hitech, the staff with which the Briton has raced for over the previous three years.
Luke Browning, Hitech Pulse-Eight, 1st place, on the rostrum
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Photographs
As per Smeets, nevertheless, this union will likely be re-established in 2025, when Browning will make the full-time step as much as F2 with Hitech.
“For him, after all, it is nice to arrange for subsequent yr as a result of he is going to stick with Hitech for F2,” mentioned Smeets.
“There are three circuits developing he would not know from F3. I mentioned to him: ‘The extra kilometres you are able to do, the higher,’ as a result of that is the build-up in direction of subsequent yr.”
Whereas this has not been confirmed by both the staff or driver, Autosport understands Hitech intends to announce its line-up following the season’s finish in December.