GB3 alumni Joseph Loake received his prize Formula 1 test in an Aston Martin Aramco F1 car at Silverstone today (Thursday).
The 19-year-old, who won the 2023 Aston Martin Autosport Young Driver of the Year Award after his race-winning season in GB3 last year, completed several stints at the wheel of the team’s AMR22 on the Grand Prix circuit.
In all, Loake completed 39 laps, including a nine-lap circuit and car familiarisation run, before setting baseline times on hard and soft tyres.
Completing his day, he fulfilled two further stints using sets of fresh hard and soft rubber, allowing him to fully acquaint himself with contemporary F1 machinery.
Speaking to Autosport.com, Loake remarked: “Words don’t describe how crazy a machine this is.
“It’s just such a special day for me. Obviously, I hope to drive a car like this again and hopefully race one and take one to a world championship one day, but the first time is always the most special and it’s a day that I’ll never forget.
“It’s just so incredible that I got this opportunity.
“It was definitely very difficult to get up to speed and to speed up my brain and everything that goes on. But once you’ve done the first two runs and have figured it out a little bit, you straightaway are trying to find lap time.
“The racing driver in you comes out and you forget that you’re in an F1 car and you think you’re about to go and qualify, so you try to find all of the time you can.”
The test was part of his prize for winning one of motorsport’s most prestigious awards, which also saw him claim £200,000, full British Racing Drivers’ Club membership, an Arai helmet and a Jordan Bespoke personalised helmet bag.
Loake has since graduated into the FIA Formula 3 Championship with Rodin Motorsport, and was a points scorer at Monaco.
GB3 contenders have won the prize on eight of the last nine runnings of the Award, including George Russell (2014), Lando Norris (2016), Zak O’Sullivan (2021) and Luke Browning (2022).
Image credits: LAT