2022 has been another breakthrough year for Olli Caldwell, from competing a step closer to Formula 1 to running more than a thousand kilometres in actual F1 machinery.
It was just nine months ago that Olli announced he’d been selected to join the Alpine Academy. Working with a top Formula 1 team and manufacturer since then, he’s been able to make huge steps on his way to the top flight of motorsport in 2022. The experience of being part of a junior academy and opportunity to learn from a top team is an incredibly important step on any junior driver's way up the ladder.
Alongside training and simulator work, competing against and working with other juniors and the broader Formula 1 team, Olli has been given amazing opportunities to actually test Formula 1 cars. He drove the A521, last year's BWT Alpine hybrid F1 car, in two tests at the challenging tracks of Silverstone and Bahrain. Around high-speed, bumpy Silverstone, the first ever grand prix circuit, Olli set 585.7 kilometres of testing laps and in the blistering desert heat of Bahrain, 520 kilometres, each over a single day.
Not just confined to a testing and simulator role, Olli has also competed in the 2022 Formula 2 season, with success coming in the Red Bull Ring and Zandvoort feature races. In the final round at Yas Marina he recorded the highest kilometres per hour in the speed trap and across the finish line, showing his confidence with the difficult-to-master F2 car.
"2022 has been a huge year for me. Driving more than 1,000 kilometres in F1 machinery is beyond a dream come true, from my first test at Silverstone to driving in Bahrain last month it's just been unbelievable. I can't thank everyone enough for their support and trust this year for how much I've developed, it's been a lot of learning in what feels like a long time but is actually crazily short - just a few months. I'm so grateful for all the opportunities and it's going to take me a lot of the off-season to reflect on it all. I can't wait to see what 2023 has for me, too." - Olli Caldwell
Harry Soden director of Infinity Sports Management said
"Olli has really worked on developing his skill as a driver this year. From getting a rookie Formula 2 season under his belt to proving himself as a Formula 1 test driver, he's really shown what he can do on track and how much he's able to learn. He's excelled in his role in the Alpine Academy and his F1 testing time shows that, with a really bright future ahead of him."