The 31-year-old driver from Essex switched to endurance racing in 2016, taking a second-place finish at Spa-Francorchamps on his ELMS debut with Team WRT.He switched to GTE in 2017, helping JMW Motorsport to the title with two podium finishes from two starts in Belgium and Portugal.
His first ELMS victory came in 2021 for Panis Racing at Monza alongside Julien Canal and James Allen, finishing 3rdoverall in the 2021 LMP2 standings with two podiums at Barcelona and Spa-Francorchamps.
In 2022 Stevens raced with Jota Sport in the FIA World Endurance Championship taking five podiums, including victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside Antonio Felix Da Costa and Roberto Gonzalez.
In 2024 he returns to the European Le Mans Series as well as competing with Hertz Team Jota in the Hypercar category in the FIA WEC, taking a second-place finish in Qatar in the opening race of the season.
So, what enticed Will Stevens back to the ELMS this season? "I think firstly it’s a championship and car I love driving in, along with how competitive it is looking this year with some great teams and drivers,” Stevens admitted. “It’s also a project with Nielsen Racing and the journey they are on, that I felt was right to come back to the ELMS alongside my WEC commitments.”
So how valuable is your experience in LMP2 in your career to date and getting to race in this year’s WEC? “It’s been instrumental for sure, LMP2 has been a great category for me personally and have had a lot of success in it which has 100% helped me show what I can do and ultimately lead me to the opportunity of being in Hypercar with Hertz Team Jota.”
How did the opportunity to race with Nielsen come about? “I had been talking to Sven for quite some months about the project they are on and where they want to go as a team,” Stevens said.“I felt it was the right project to come to and bring my experience to hopefully help them get to the goals they want as a team.”
So how well does Will Stevens know his Nielsen teammates? "I think it’s an exciting line up.I have raced with DHH a few times before and been in the same team as him numerous times, so I know him well. We have had success together before so having that experience together will speed up the process of us three gelling together.
“Nico is someone I have seen growing as a driver in recent years and know he has a lot of potential considering his age and I think we have a good mix of youth and experience which will bring the best out of all of us.”
Which race is Stevens most looking forward to? “I would probably say Mugello because it a track I have never been to, and I have always liked the layout of the circuit from knowing it on simulators so will be cool to have a new experience on a new track.”
The LMP2 grid for this year’s European le Mans Series is the most competitive it has ever been, so what does Will Stevens expect from this season? “To walk away from every race weekend knowing we executed the best race we could have done and if we do that then I know we will be up the sharp end fighting at the front.”
