Will Stevens Bio
William Jonathan Richard Stevens, known professionally as Will Stevens, is a British racing driver born on 28 June 1991 in Rochford, Essex, England. He currently competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Cadillac Hertz Team Jota, while also racing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship with Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing. Stevens is best known for his two-season stint in Formula One from 2014 to 2015, and for winning the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship in the LMP2 class with Jota.
Beyond his open-wheel roots, Stevens has built a versatile résumé across endurance racing, GT competition, and prototype sports cars. He has worked with McLaren as a test and development driver since 2018, primarily carrying out simulator work for the Formula One team. His career reflects a steady climb from British karting tracks to world championship podiums.
Early Life and Background
Will Stevens was born and raised in Rochford, a small town in Essex, England. Growing up in a country with a deep motorsport heritage, he was introduced to racing at a young age through karting. The Essex racing community provided an early proving ground that helped shape his competitive instincts.
Stevens began his formal racing career in 2003 at the age of 12, competing in karts. After one year in the National Cadet Championship, he moved up to the Rotax Mini Max category, where he raced in numerous championships across Britain and beyond. His progress through the junior ranks was steady, and after finishing seventh in the Rotax class of the Super One series, he made the natural step up to single-seater racing in Formula Renault 2.0.
Path to Motorsport
Stevens graduated to Formula Renault 2.0 in 2009, finishing seventh in the UK series. The following year, he improved to fourth overall. In 2011, he switched to the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup, again ending the season fourth in the standings. These results earned him a step up to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2012, where he finished 12th in his rookie year.
His most productive season in Formula Renault 3.5 came in 2013, when he scored five podium finishes across 17 races and ended the year fourth in the championship. In 2014, he added two wins and four podiums to finish sixth overall. By the end of that season, Stevens had attracted the attention of Formula One teams and signed with Marussia as a reserve driver. In November 2014, he made his grand prix debut with Caterham at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, becoming the latest British driver to reach the top tier of the sport.
Will Stevens Career
Early Career (2009–2013)
Stevens opened his single-seater career in 2009 in the Formula Renault 2.0 UK championship, where he finished seventh. He spent two seasons in the British series before moving to the Eurocup in 2011, a step that broadened his exposure to international circuits. His fourth-place finish in the Eurocup was the strongest result of his junior open-wheel career up to that point.
The move to Formula Renault 3.5 in 2012 was a significant promotion. After a learning year in 2012, Stevens enjoyed a breakout 2013 season with five podiums. He also raced briefly in the Toyota Racing Series in 2008 and 2009, gaining winter racing experience in New Zealand that helped sharpen his race craft.
Formula One Breakthrough (2014–2015)
Stevens made his Formula One debut at the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Caterham, replacing Marcus Ericsson for the double-points season finale. He finished 17th, one lap down, and reportedly paid a significant sum for the opportunity. Earlier in the year, he had been announced as a reserve driver for Marussia.
For 2015, Stevens moved to Manor Marussia alongside Roberto Merhi, bringing substantial financial backing to the team. He recorded his first official race finish for the team in China, ending 15th ahead of his teammate. Over the course of the season he regularly matched or finished near Merhi, and was later compared against Alexander Rossi, who replaced Merhi late in the year. Across his two F1 seasons, Stevens made 18 starts from 20 entries with Caterham and Manor, recording no points, podiums, or poles.
Endurance Racing Breakthrough (2016–Present)
Following the closure of the Manor Formula One team, Stevens transitioned to endurance and GT racing. In 2016, former Manor personnel John Booth and Graeme Lowdon formed Manor Motorsport for the FIA World Endurance Championship, and Stevens was confirmed as a driver alongside Tor Graves. He also raced in the 2016 Blancpain GT Series for W Racing Team in an Audi R8 LMS with René Rast.
His 2017 season included a class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans with JMW Motorsport in a Ferrari 488 GTE-Am, co-driving with Dries Vanthoor and Rob Smith. The car led its class for the final hours and finished two laps clear of its closest rivals. That same year, Stevens finished second in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, securing his first GT3 win at Zolder with Markus Winkelhock. In 2018, he joined Panis-Barthez Compétition for the European Le Mans Series and continued building his prototype résumé.
Cadillac Hertz Team Jota Era (2022–Present)
Stevens joined Jota Sport in the LMP2 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship and enjoyed his most successful season to date in 2022. Partnering with teammates, he helped deliver the team the LMP2 world championship title. That same year, he and Jota also won the LMP2 class at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing fifth overall.
For 2025, Stevens races for Cadillac Hertz Team Jota in the Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship, carrying car number 12. He also competes in the IMSA SportsCar Championship with Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing, expanding his presence in top-flight North American sports car racing.
Driving Style and Strengths
Stevens has earned a reputation as a calm, consistent endurance racing driver with strong stint management and a measured approach to traffic. His Formula One background and ongoing simulator work with McLaren have refined his technical feedback and tire-saving skills, both valuable assets in long-distance events. He works well in shared-driver lineups, contributing to class wins at Le Mans and the WEC title in 2022.
Notable Races and Milestones
Stevens’ career milestones include his 2014 Formula One debut in Abu Dhabi, his GTE-Am class victory at the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans with JMW Motorsport, and his LMP2 class win at Le Mans in 2022 with Jota. The 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 crown stands as the headline achievement of his professional career.
Will Stevens Career Wins
Will Stevens has accumulated eight FIA World Endurance Championship wins, 18 podiums, six pole positions, and four fastest laps across 46 series starts through his endurance racing career. His victories span multiple seasons and class categories, peaking with the 2022 LMP2 world championship.
WEC and Le Mans Highlights
In the FIA World Endurance Championship, Stevens’ standout achievement is the 2022 LMP2 title with Jota, a season that included multiple race wins and a class victory at Le Mans. He has also claimed two Le Mans class wins, the first in 2017 in GTE-Am with JMW and the second in 2022 in LMP2 with Jota. His consistent WEC pace has been a defining feature of his post-Formula One career.
Other Wins and Performances
Stevens earned his first GT3 victory at Zolder in the 2017 Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup and finished second in the overall Sprint Cup standings that year. In junior single-seaters, he scored two wins and four podiums in the 2014 Formula Renault 3.5 Series, finishing sixth in points.
Will Stevens Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Will Stevens’ family background is limited. He grew up in Rochford, Essex, and began his motorsport journey in British karting as a teenager.
Personal Life
Stevens keeps his personal life largely private, and no verified public details about a spouse or children are available.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marks a new chapter for Stevens as a factory Cadillac driver in the Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship with Cadillac Hertz Team Jota. The move positions him at the front of the WEC’s premier category, alongside his commitments in the IMSA SportsCar Championship with Cadillac Wayne Taylor Racing. His experience from the 2022 LMP2 title and multiple Le Mans class wins provides a strong foundation for the transition to Hypercar machinery.
Competing across both the WEC and IMSA schedules demands endurance, adaptability, and quick learning on evolving car packages. Stevens’ long-standing relationship with McLaren as a simulator driver and his steady WEC form suggest he is well prepared for the demands of the new campaign. With car number 12 on the Jota Hypercar, he enters the year aiming to be a regular contender in the highly competitive Hypercar field.