British racing driver Joseph Loake made a remarkable entry into Formula 1 testing, driving an Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team car on Wednesday, August 21st, as part of his prize for winning the prestigious Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Young Driver of the Year Award [AMABA] last year.
The 19-year-old showcased his potential by completing 39 laps around the iconic Silverstone Grand Prix circuit in an Aston Martin AMR22, a car similar to those driven by four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel and current Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team driver Lance Stroll during the 2022 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season. This marked Loake’s first experience behind the wheel of an F1 car.
The day began with two sets of installation laps on the 3.66-mile circuit, situated near the AMR Technology Campus, before progressing into a series of runs on slick tyres. In total, Loake covered more than 225 kilometers in dry conditions.
Loake, who placed third in the 2023 GB3 Championship before advancing to FIA Formula 3 this year, tested both hard and soft-compound Pirelli tyres during four additional runs throughout the day. The 1.6-litre V6-engine car, equipped with a twin-energy hybrid retrieval system, can produce around 1000bhp, providing Loake with a thrilling experience.
“It’s been incredible,” Loake shared. “I knew it would be faster than anything I’ve driven, but the grip and speed through the fast turns were absolutely astonishing—on a completely different level than I could have imagined.”
“The whole experience has been amazing and so different from racing a Formula 3 car. Walking into the garage, seeing so many people dedicated to you and your car, and then seeing your name on the halo—it really hits you, ‘this is real; I’m going to drive a Formula 1 car.’
“But the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team AMR22 is just incredible. I’ve never experienced a car so responsive to every steering input, every touch of the throttle. It’s the most compliant car I’ve ever driven, which gives you the confidence to push. Once your brain adjusts to the speed, you can focus on the fine-tuning that really improves lap times. Off-track, the depth of data available is like nothing I’ve seen before, and I’m confident I can apply some of what I learned to enhance my driving for the rest of the F3 season. It was an amazing day, and I’m proud to say I gave it my all.
“The whole experience has been amazing, and the team was brilliant with me. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone at Aston Martin, Autosport, and the BRDC for making this opportunity possible for young racing drivers.”
Loake earned this test drive along with a £200,000 cash prize, full British Racing Drivers’ Club membership, an Arai helmet, and a personalized Jordan Bespoke helmet bag after outperforming three other finalists during a two-day assessment at Silverstone last year, driving various vehicles, including an Aston Martin Vantage GT3.
Robert Sattler, F1 Evolution Programme Director for the AMF1 Team, praised Loake’s performance: “Joseph did an excellent job on his first outing in a Formula 1 car. Transitioning from Formula 3 is a significant step, but he handled it with great professionalism and made a strong impression on the team with his attitude. The scale of technical staff and the operation behind running a Formula 1 car can be overwhelming, but Joseph adapted well, asking insightful questions. It’s one thing to listen to the engineers after each run, but to apply their feedback on track shows a young driver’s potential, and Joseph did this exceptionally well. He confidently pushed the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One® Team AMR22 from the start, which is rare for a first-time F1 driver. Joseph clearly has a bright future in motor racing, and we wish him all the best.”
