Will Stevens

Will Stevens is one of about 140 racing drivers from England who wrote their names on the list of Formula One drivers since inaugural season in 1950. Stevens debuted in Formula One in the last round of 2014 season for Caterham and competed full 2015 season for Manor Marussia.

Prior to his short F1 career, Will Stevens passed the way from various international karting competitions to Formula Renault 3.5, which was one of the main feeder series for F1.

After leaving Formula 1, Stevens switched to sports cars and endurance races in 2016, earning LMP2 podium at 2016 Le Mans 24 Hours and GTE Am class victory at 2017 Le Mans race.

Will Stevens

Successful teen age years in karting competitions

William Stevens was born on June 28, 1991, Rochford, Essex. He started his racing career at the age 12 with go-karts. Until 2008, Will participated in many national and international competitions, winning some titles such were Asia-Pacific Championship, European Championship, Italian Open Masters...

Car racing debut in the Formula Renault

In 2008, he progressed to car racing, participating in the winter competitions of British and Portuguese Formula Renault. He also competed in the Toyota Racing Series New Zealand between season 2008 and 2009, finishing ninth in the points with five podiums.

Fourth in the British Formula Renault championship

In 2009, Will entered a full season of the Formula Renault UK Championship, driving for Fortec Motorsports. Scoring just one podium in twenty races, Stevens finished 7th in the final classification. Next year, driving for Manor, he won two races at Thruxton and Brands Hatch, to finish fourth in the final standings.

Fourth place in the 2011 FR 2.0 Eurocup season

On 2011, again with Fortec Motorsport, Stevens was a regular competitor in the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup. With one victory (in Alcaniz) and four podiums he finished fourth in the points.

After he finished 4th in the 2011 FR2.0 Eurocup, Stevens joined Carlin in thr FR3.5 Series

Fourth place in the second Formula Renault 3.5 season

The next step in the racing ladder was the 2012 Formula Renault 3.5 Series. Will was driving for Carlin and his best result was third place at Hungaroring. Stevens ended the season 12th in the points. In 2013 FR3.5 season, Will's team was P1 Motorsports/Strakka Racing. He scored podiums in five races and finished the season in the fourth place.

Two wins in th FR3.5 Series

During 2013, Stevens had first test drives for Caterham F1 team. In 2014, he continued to compete for P1 Motorsports/Strakka Racing  in the FR3.5 Series. Stevens won two races at Monza and Jerez and finished sixth in the final classification.

Stevens joined Marussia in 2014

Contract with Marussia, F1 debut with Caterham

In October 2014, it was announced that Will Stevens would join Marussia F1 team as a reserve driver for the remainder of the season. The following month, Stevens made his Formula One debut with Caterham F1 team. On November 23, he participated in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, as a replacement for Marcus Ericsson. Stevens paid £500,000 for the seat in the Formula One car. Stevens was slowest in the qualifying and finished last in the race, one lap behind the winner Lewis Hamilton.

Sponsorship package earned him full season Formula One seat

In the 2015 season, Marussia F1 team competed under the Manor name, after the team avoided a liquidation. Will Stevens was one of the drivers who brought funding to the team, along with Roberto Merhi. Stevens brought his own sponsorship package of around £6 million. The team skipped the opening round in Australia due to technical problems, in the second round, only Merhi competed, so Stevens debuted in the Ferrari-powered #28 Marussia MR03B in the third round, at the Chinese Grand Prix.

In 2015 F1 season, Stevens' best resutl was 13th place at British Grand Prix

Best F1 result was 13th place at Silverstone

Stevens finished his first race for Marussia in 15th place, ahead of his teammate Merhi. He was ahead of Merhi in the next two races in Bahrain and Catalunya, while Merhi was faster in Monaco. In the Canadian Grand Prix, Stevens finished 17th after he was involved in the accident with Romain Grosjean.

Stevens retired at Austrian Grand Prix in June and then scored his career-best finish at British Grand Prix at Silverstone. He finished 13th, but only because six drivers retired from the race. In the second part of the season, Merhi was replaced by Alexander Rossi in five races, but Manor stayed at the back of the grid.

Rene Rast, Roman Rusinov and Will Stevens at 2016 Le Mans podium

Le Mans podium in debut attempt for Stevens

For 2016 Formula One season, Manor changed the drivers line-up, hiring Ryo Haryanto and Pascal Wehrlein. Stevens followed his former F1 bosses John Booth and Graeme Lowdon as a driver for Manor in the FIA World Endurance Championship. He participated in the opening rounds of the season at Silverstone and Spa with #44 Oreca 05 (Nissan), alongside Tor Graves and James Jakes.

At 2016 24 hours of Le Mans, Stevens joined Roman Rusinov and Rene Rast in the #26 G-Drive Racing's LMP2 prototype. They finished sixth overall and second in the LMP2 class.

Will Stevens at 2017 Le Mans podium

2017 Le Mans 24h class victory with Ferrari

Besides driving prototypes in the FIA WEC, Stevens also joined Belgian Audi Club Team WRT in the 2016 Blancpain GT Series, participating both in the endurance and sprint races with Audi R8 LMS. He continues to drive for Team WRT in the 2017 Blancpain GT Series,sharing a car with Marcus Winkelhock.

In June, he joined British JMW Motorsport as a third driver at 24 hours of Le Mans, along with Robert Smith and Dries Vanthoor in the #84 Ferrari 488 GTE. After 24 hours of racing, they scored a dominant win in the GTE Am class, beating the closest rivals for two laps.

A double sportscar racing programme in 2018

In 2018, Stevens had a double programme in sportscar racing, driving an Audi R8 LMS for the Belgian Audi Club Team WRT in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup and Ligier-Gibson LMP2 prototype for Panis-Barthez Competition in the European Le Mans Series. He was also driving Ligier-Gibson at 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing ninth in LMP2 class.

In 2019, he joined Jackie Chan Dc Racing in two FIA WEC rounds, scoring LMP2 victory at Sebring 1000 Miles, and stayed with Panis Barthez Competition in the European Le Mans Series.

Photos: formula1.wordpress.com, independent.co.uk, thechequeredflag.co.uk,