Freddie Hunt is competing in his first full season of the Michelin Le Mans Cup with new to the series team Reiter Engineering and Norwegian driver Mads Siljehaug.
The 35-year-old British driver, who is the son of 1976 Formula One World Champion James Hunt, has been making steady progress in the first five races, securing pole position last time out at Monza and taking a podium finish, and maximum points, in the second Road to Le Mans race in June.
We caught up with Freddie Hunt as he prepares for the final two races of the 2022 season, start with the ultimate challenge of the 7km Spa-Francorchamps circuit this weekend.
Q: Your season has got off to a great start with Reiter Engineering and Mads Siljehaug, with some good results, especially at Le Mans and a pole at Monza.How would you sum up your first five races in the Michelin Le Mans Cup?
FH: “Great progression! I'm really pleased with the team considering they are brand new to these cars, my engineer had never seen one of these cars before; had never worked on one. My teammate has never driven one before. I'm still fairly green and we've gone from very slow to pole position and the podium, so it's going really well.”
Q: This is your first season in Le Mans prototypes and it seems to suit your driving style.What do you like about the LMP3 category?
FH: “At the moment, it's ideal power and weight and grip for me really. It's good; I seem to get on with the car.
“I think a lot of people are comparing me to how I used to be thinking I was getting on with the cars then. It's not the car, it's my head, it's improved with maturity and meditation.
“I used to suffer from tremendous pressure that I put on myself and now I'm getting through that. Still, like at Imola, I put pressure on myself and made a bit of a mess of that race. But at Le Mans, I've always been confident there and I love that track.
“For me I just really like the LMP3 car, once when you get the balance right, which is not that easy to do, but when the balance is good, they're really great cars.
Q: Your stated ambition is to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Standing on the Road to Le Mans podium on Saturday morning must’ve been a huge boost for you? What are your thoughts on the full La Sarthe circuit?
FH: “I love the circuit, like I said. People seem to be intimidated by it which works in my favour because I'm not at all.That podium finish was fantastic.We could have potentially had a win as we had a healthy lead, which got diminished by the Safety Car, but to be P2 was good.
“Credit to my teammate, who had the wolves behind him. We've got some really experienced, really quick drivers in this in this championship - Tom Dillman, Laurents Hörr -and for him to hold them off in that last stint was heroic.
“Mads is a very, very talented driver and his knowledge of the car, of interpreting the car, is really good. I think that's why we've done so well developing the car this year with Mads and Maxi Ertl, our engineer. I'm learning a lot too and I've been able to put in some good input as well, which I'm pleased with. So, it's very confidence boosting.”
Q: The next MLMC race is at Spa-Francorchamps? What do you like about the circuit?
FH: “I haven't done Spa yet. I think Spa is probably up there, probably the number one track I really wanted to drive. I've done a bit on the simulator but not in the prototype, but I know the track from the PlayStation and stuff like that. I just can't wait, I'm very excited.”
Q: What do you like to do to relax when you are not racing?
FH: “Tending to our animals mostly, and a lot of hillwalking. When I've got the time I'd go off into the mountains, that's my kind of holiday. Just go off into the wilderness on my own. This year, I haven't had much time, it's been so busy. I'm still renovating my house and finishing it off. I bought a derelict farmhouse a couple years ago. People call it a labour of love; I don't really understand that as it's hard work. Just being on the farm and looking after the animals really.”
Q: Do you follow or participate in any other sports?
FH: “Snooker! I follow it and I play, but not very well. Obviously, I follow Formula One. I play occasional Squash, but nothing like dad's level, a bit like my driving, and I do a lot of target shooting.
Q: What is your current road car and what is your dream car, if not your current one?
FH: “The current road car is an Audi A6. I am not really a car man surprisingly; I think I’d like an RS6 or an S6 tuned up.”
Q: What is your favourite food?
FH: “My favourite food is meat, but I don't buy commercially, I rear all my own. If I could only choose one meat for the rest of my life and it probably have to be beef or pork, which is close behind. A big slab of beef on the barbie, you can’t beat that.”
CLICK HEREto see the Spa-Francorchamps e-Programme, which includes this interview with Freddie Hunt.
