Andy Soucek

Andy Soucek is a Spanish racer who currently serves as Bentley factory driver in different GT competitions, driving a Bentley Continental GT3 for M-Sport and other customer teams. His greatest success so far in GT racing was the second place in the 2017 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup.

Earlier in a career, Soucek gained some success in open-wheel competitions, winning the Spanish Formula 3 Championship in 2005 and FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2009.

Andy Soucek

Starting a career in karting at the age of 12

Andy Christian Soucek was born in June 1985 in Madrid. His father Dieter is Austrian and Andy has both Austrian and Spanish nationality but he competes under Spanish flag from the beginning of his career.

He started to race go-karts in 1997. In 2001, parallel to his commitments in karting, he entered Formula Ford. He had a double programme again in 2002, participating in the European Karting Championship and Spanish Formula 3.

Spanish Formula 3 champion in 2005

In 2003, Soucek concentrated solely on Formula 3, driving for EV Racing and finishing fourth in the points. He was fourth again in 2004, combining races with two teams.

Then, in 2005, Soucek captured his first championship title, triumphing in the Spanish Formula 3 with Llusia Racing. Driving a Dallara-Toyota, he was a race winner three times.

Andy Soucek early in a career

One season in the Formula Renault 3.5 Series

In 2006, Soucek graduated to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, driving for Austrian team Interwetten.com. He won one race, at Istanbul Park, and added five more podiums to finish fourth in the final classification.

In 2006, Soucek gets the first taste of Formula 1, testing a car for Panasonic Toyota Racing.

Two seasons in the GP2 Series

In 2007, Soucek joined David Price Racing in the GP2 Series. At the wheel of the #21 car, he scored two podiums in the last two rounds at Spa and Valencia, finishing 16th in the final points. For the 2008 GP2 Series season, Soucek joined Super Nova Racing as a replacement for injured Christian Bakkerud. He was on a podium just once, at Hungaroring, finishing 14th in the points.

In 2008, Soucek had a double programme, racing also in the Superleague Formula with Eurointernational, under the banner of two different teams (SC Corinthians and Atletico Madrid).

Andy with his father Dieter in 2009

FIA Formula Two champion in 2009

Abdy Soucek reached a peak of his single-seater career in 2009, winning the championship title in the FIA Formula Two Championship. At the wheel of the #22 Williams-Audi, Soucek was absolutely dominant in the championship, scoring seven victories and leaving the closest rival 51 points behind.

A part of the award for winning the Formula 2 title was a test drive with Williams F1 Team in a Williams FW31-Toyota.

No luck for Andy in Formula One

With F2 trophy in his hands, Soucek was confident to became Williams reserve driver for 2010 F1 season but the team chose Valtteri Bottas. However, Soucek was invited by Virgin Racing to join the team as a reserve and test driver. After getting no much testing opportunities, he left the team in August 2010.

During the year, he returned to Superleague Formula, participating in five rounds with different teams. Soucek recorded his last Superleague Formula appearance in 2011, participating in two rounds before the series was discontinued.

Andy Soucek started his GT racing career in 2012 with McLaren

Starting GT racing career in 2012

Having no opportunity to race in major formula competitions, Soucek switched to GT racing in 2012. He made a debut in the last round of the Blancpain Endurance Series at Circuito de Navarra, driving a McLaren MP4-12C GT3 for Boutsen-Ginion Racing.

In the 2013 Blancpain Endurance Series season, Soucek stayed in a McLaren but joined ART Grand Prix. Sharing the #11 McLaren with Mike Parisy and Antoine Leclerc, he scored two podiums at Circuit Paul Ricard and Monza and finished sixth in the points. He was also driving McLaren for MRS GT Racing in one round of the FIA GT Series.

Racing with McLaren and Aston Martin in 2014

In 2014, Soucek had a double programme with two British manufacturers, driving McLaren MP4-12C for ART Grand Prix in the Blancpain Endurance Series and Aston Martin Vantage GT3 for Beechdean AMR in the Blancpain Sprint Series.

He scored two podiums in each competition. In the Sprint Series, he was second in both races at Baku, sharing the #107 Aston Martin car with Jonny Adam. In the Endurance Series, he was on a podium at Monza and Silverstone, sharing the #99 McLaren car with Kevin Estre and Kevin Korjus.

Andy Soucek joined Bentley in 2015

Andy Soucek became a Bentley Boy in 2015

In 2015, Andy Soucek became a Bentley Boy, joining Bentley M-Sport in the Blancpain Endurance Series and some endurance races. In February, he raced alongside Maxi Buhk and Harold Primat at Bathurst 12 Hour, not finishing the race. At the end of the year, he finished fifth at Sepang 12 Hours, sharing a car with Maxi Buhk and Maxime Soulet.

Between those two races, he spent a season with Bentley in the Blancpain Endurance Series and GT Asia Championship, not scoring wins or podiums.

Andy Soucek next to his Bentley in 2016

Double programme in the 2016 Blancpain GT Series

In 2016, Soucek opened a season with Bathurst 12 Hour race, finishing in the seventh place together with Maxime Soulet and David Russell. Later that year, he expanded his commitments with Bentley both to Endurance Cup and Sprint Cup in the Blancpain GT Series.

Sharing the #8 Bentley Continental GT3 with Wolfgang Reip and Maxime Soulet, he finished third in the Endurance Cup, scoring one podium in five races, the third place at Monza. In the Sprint Cup, Soucek and Soulet won a race at Misano and finished 8th in the points.

Andy Soucek (left) with his teammates Vincent Abril and Maxime Soulet

Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup vice-champion in 2017

Soucek had the same programme in 2017, racing full time with Bentley both in the Blancpain GT Series. He and Maxime Soulet scored no wins or podiums in the Sprint Cup but they were successful in the Endurance Cup, sharing the #8 Bentley Continental GT3 with Vincent Abril. They won at Circuit Paul Ricard and finished second at Spa 24 Hours.

Outside Blancpain GT Series, Soucek raced only at Bathurst 12 Hour in 2017, finishing in 12th place. In the next edition of the 12-hour race at Mount Panorama, in February 2018, Soucek did n0t finish the race.

In the 2018 Blancpain GT Series, Soucek stayed in the #8 Bentley Continental GT3 with Vincent Abril and Maxime Soulet, finishing just 24th in the points. For the 2019 Blancpain GT Series season, Soucek gets the new #108 Bentley Continental GT3, sharing it with Maxime Soulet as his full-time co-driver.

Andy Soucek