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 with Jota, driving the No. 12 Cadillac V-Series.R. Stevens is best known for his two seasons in Formula One, his 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 title, and his class win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2017.
Early Life and Background
Will Stevens was born in Rochford, a small town in Essex, England, on 28 June 1991. Growing up in England during the 1990s, he was exposed to the strong European tradition of single-seater racing that has produced many of the world’s top drivers. From an early age, Stevens showed an interest in motorsport, a passion that would shape the rest of his life.
Stevens began his racing career in 2003 at the age of 12, starting in karts. He spent one year in the National Cadet championship before moving to the Rotax Mini Max class. He raced in a wide range of karting championships across Britain and internationally, building the technical skills and race craft that would later help him climb the motorsport ladder.
Path to NASCAR
Will Stevens is not affiliated with NASCAR. His career has been built in European open-wheel racing, sports car endurance events, and Formula One. Because his racing background lies outside the NASCAR ladder system, this section does not apply to his career path.
Will Stevens Career
Early Career (2009–2011)
After finishing seventh in the Rotax class of the Super One karting championship, Stevens moved into single-seater racing in Formula Renault 2.0. In 2009, he ended seventh in the Formula Renault 2.0 UK standings and improved to fourth the following year. In 2011, he stepped up to the Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup, where he again finished fourth overall, establishing himself as a consistent front-runner in junior formula racing.
Formula Renault 3.5 Series (2012–2014)
Stevens graduated to the Formula Renault 3.5 Series in 2012, finishing twelfth in his rookie season as he learned the demands of the more powerful cars. In 2013, he scored five podium finishes across 17 races and ended the year fourth in the championship. The 2014 season saw him claim two wins and four podiums, enough to finish sixth in the standings and attract the attention of Formula One teams.
Formula One Debut with Caterham (2014)
Stevens made his Formula One debut at the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Caterham F1, replacing Marcus Ericsson for the final race of the season. He finished 17th, one lap down, in a drive that helped fund his seat. Earlier in the year, Marussia F1 had signed him as a reserve driver, and the late-season opportunity with Caterham launched his top-level career.
Formula One with Manor Marussia (2015)
In February 2015, Manor Marussia announced Stevens as one of its race drivers for the season, joining Roberto Merhi. Although the team missed the Australian Grand Prix due to technical issues, Stevens began racing at the Malaysian Grand Prix. His first classified finish came at the Chinese Grand Prix, where he placed 15th. He outpaced Merhi in Bahrain and Spain, and battled through traffic and incidents at the Canadian Grand Prix before being hit by Romain Grosjean, who later apologised. Later in the year, Alexander Rossi replaced Merhi and outpaced Stevens in three of the four remaining races, ending his Formula One career.
Sports Car Racing and Le Mans Class Win (2016–2017)
After leaving Formula One, Stevens moved into endurance and GT racing. In 2016, he joined the new Manor Motorsport WEC effort with Tor Graves in the LMP2 class, while also racing an Audi R8 LMS for W Racing Team in the Blancpain GT Series alongside René Rast. In 2017, he finished second in the Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup, taking his first GT3 win at Zolder with Markus Winkelhock.
Stevens’ biggest sports car result came at the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans. Driving a Ferrari 488 Italia in the GTE-Am class for JMW Motorsport with Rob Smith and Dries Vanthoor, he claimed class pole during qualifying. The trio led the class after 10 pm and built an advantage of more than two laps at the finish, winning GTE-Am outright. Later that year, he helped JMW Motorsport secure the European Le Mans Series GTE team standings with runner-up results at Spa-Francorchamps and Portimão.
Endurance Racing Success with Jota (2018–Present)
Since 2018, Stevens has worked as a test and development driver for McLaren while continuing his own endurance programme. In 2018, he joined Panis-Barthez Compétition for the European Le Mans Series and the 24 Hours of Le Mans in LMP2. He later aligned with Jota Sport in the FIA World Endurance Championship. In 2022, Stevens and his Jota teammates won the FIA World Endurance Championship in the LMP2 class, the highlight of his endurance career.
For 2025, Stevens drives the No. 12 Cadillac V-Series.R for Cadillac Hertz Team Jota in the FIA World Endurance Championship Hypercar class, partnering with teammates in one of the most competitive endurance programmes in the world.
Driving Style and Strengths
Stevens is known for his smooth, consistent driving style and his ability to adapt between formula cars and complex prototype machinery. His comfort in long stints, tyre management, and multi-class traffic has made him a strong endurance racer. His ongoing partnership with Jota has shown a strong working relationship with engineers and co-drivers, allowing him to maximise the potential of the Cadillac Hypercar.
Notable Races and Milestones
Signature moments in Stevens’ career include his Formula One debut at the 2014 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, his GTE-Am class win at the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans, and his 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 title with Jota. The Canadian Grand Prix in 2015, where he recovered from a collision with Romain Grosjean, also stands out as a memorable fight in his single-seater career.
Will Stevens Career Wins
Will Stevens has collected wins across multiple series throughout his career. His most prestigious results include the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship LMP2 drivers’ title with Jota, the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE-Am class win with JMW Motorsport, two victories in the 2014 Formula Renault 3.5 Series, and his first GT3 win at Zolder in the 2017 Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup.
FIA World Endurance Championship Highlights
Stevens won the 2022 FIA World Endurance Championship in the LMP2 class with Jota, securing the most significant title of his career. He has also finished on the podium at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and has continued to compete at the front of the WEC field as the championship moved into the Hypercar era.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside of the WEC, Stevens claimed the 2017 24 Hours of Le Mans GTE-Am class with JMW Motorsport and finished second in the 2017 Blancpain GT Series Sprint Cup. He has also earned multiple podiums in the European Le Mans Series, the Blancpain Endurance Cup, and the Formula Renault 3.5 Series, building a versatile record across endurance and open-wheel competition.
Will Stevens Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Will Stevens comes from Rochford in Essex, England. Public information about his parents or any broader racing lineage within his family is not widely documented. He is generally regarded as a self-made driver who rose through British karting on his own merit.
Personal Life
Stevens is active on social media, sharing updates about his racing through his official accounts. He splits his time between his home base in the United Kingdom and international circuits where he competes in the FIA World Endurance Championship.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season marks a major new chapter for Will Stevens, as he steps into the Hypercar class of the FIA World Endurance Championship with Cadillac Hertz Team Jota. Driving the No. 12 Cadillac V-Series.R, he lines up against factory efforts from Toyota, Porsche, Ferrari, Peugeot, and BMW in one of the deepest Hypercar fields in the championship’s history. The early rounds will focus on building familiarity with the Cadillac programme and delivering clean, consistent finishes.
Jota’s proven record in LMP2, combined with the resources of General Motors’ factory Cadillac programme, gives Stevens a competitive platform. With several 24-hour races and six-hour events ahead, his endurance expertise and tyre management will be key assets for the team. A strong start in the opening rounds would set the foundation for a championship push later in the year.
Looking ahead, the 2025 WEC season is expected to be a learning year for the Cadillac-Hertz-Jota partnership, with the long-term goal of challenging for overall race wins. If Stevens and his teammates can score regular top-ten results and capture a podium or two, the campaign will be considered a successful launch of the new Hypercar programme.
