Even the most beautiful stories eventually come to an end. After 15 years at McLaren as a test and simulator driver, Oliver Turvey and the Woking team have parted ways, with the British driver starting a new adventure at Williams, where he will play the same role.
Williams is looking to strengthen itself not only in technical and structural areas but also in terms of personnel, seeking experienced technicians who can make a difference in car development.
After letting Franco Colapinto go to Alpine, with the prospect of the Argentine returning to Formula 1 full-time this year if Jack Doohan doesn’t impress in the early races, Williams found it necessary to find another driver to take his place as both the simulator driver and test driver.
Before making his F1 debut, Franco Colapinto held the role of simulator driver, gaining a lot of experience, which later led Williams to give him a mid-2024 debut in place of Logan Sargeant. The Argentine was expected to continue in the simulator role had he stayed with the Grove team, but when the opportunity with Alpine materialized, Williams was left without a driver.
This is where Turvey comes in, a driver with many years of experience in the world of simulators, having been one of McLaren’s key figures behind the scenes for 15 years.
In his new role, the British driver will assist the team by advancing Williams’ development programs and simulator operations to support Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon, both during race weekends and in evaluating various updates.
Williams’ choice of Turvey is extremely interesting because the British driver has also had the chance to experience McLaren’s new simulator developed in recent years. Similarly, the Grove team will also have a new simulator operational during the season. Having an experienced driver like Turvey, who has already had experience with such an advanced tool at McLaren, can provide useful insights.
“I am delighted to join Williams. It’s an honor to have the opportunity to be part of such a historic and successful team,” Turvey commented.
“I’ve admired Williams for a long time, and seeing Damon Hill win the World Championship for them was a moment that inspired me when I started my karting career. The ambition and determination driving this project are incredibly motivating, and I’m excited about the challenge ahead to help bring the team back to the top. It’s a privilege to work alongside Alex and Carlos, whom I consider two of F1’s best drivers.”
“I look forward to using my experience as both a driver and engineer to work closely with the Grove team to improve the car’s performance in the simulator and support the team. I’d like to thank James, Sven, and the Board for placing their trust in me. I will give my all to help the team achieve success.”
Alongside his track duties, Turvey studied engineering at Cambridge, which has made him a highly sought-after development driver. He joined McLaren as a development and test driver in 2009 while racing in Formula Renault 3.5 and continued in this role through various regulatory changes until the end of last year.
At the same time, Turvey participated in Jota’s victory at the 2014 Le Mans 24 Hours in LMP2, before moving to the NEXTEV Formula E team at the end of the 2014-15 season, which later became NIO. In recent years, he has combined his role at McLaren with that of a consultant and simulator driver for the DS Penske Formula E team.
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