Callum Ilott says that his time in GT racing, including this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, is valuable experience in his career, even if he ultimately ends up in Formula One.
The Ferrari junior is making his debut in the French endurance classic as part of Iron Lynx’s three-car GTE Am effort alongside Matteo Cressoni and Rino Mastronardi.
The 22-year-old is also under contract with Alfa Romeo’s F1 team as a test and reserve driver, and could potentially still be in the running for a race seat with the team.
Even if he ultimately ends up in Formula One, Ilott reckons that his previous outings in the GT World Challenge Europe and this weekend at Le Mans will be valuable lessons as he progresses in his career, also with one eye on Ferrari’s impending Le Mans Hypercar programme.
“It’s experience for either way that I go,” Ilott spoke to MotorsportWeek.com. “Obviously, right now, I am racing GTs but my development and my focus is still with F1. There is still a chance and I’m still in that environment.”
“But depending on the future years, and obviously with the Hypercar program, it makes more sense to have experience in GTs and to be able to jump into the Hypercar if necessary, then not to have it.”
Ilott also spoke about the experience competing in sportscar, stating that it is good for him to be in an environment away from Formula 2.
“Actually this year, it’s been very educational and very good to do something different. I’ve had the whole junior single seaters environment, which is quite stressful, – every weekend, you’re fighting for your career, for your life. Here it’s like restarting and relearning and doing something different.”
“Obviously, with the performance and the speed that I have, I have a good baseline, but there’s lots of little things you need to learn, with the LMP2s, you know, with the [traffic] management and everything, it’s a different style of racing. Also with the bronze drivers as well. It’s something that I have to adapt to. Not that I haven’t experienced, but in a different way.”
“So it’s much better for me to have this experience, almost in my mind a lower pressure year. Because I have, for example, if I was to stick to the GT route, the endurance route, I have this year, I have next year, probably if I was to do that with more opportunities.
“And then if it comes to it, we have the Hypercar the year after so I have that choice to do.”
With various options on the table, Ilott explains that he enjoys having multiple directions to explore in his career, even hinting at a potential move towards racing in IndyCar.
“I could also go to America and do Indy if I wanted and if I get the opportunity, I would also not say no to F1 as well. So I’m in a bit of a fun situation where there’s a few opportunities and a few different routes to do.”
“But in my mind, it’s always best to have the experience where you can get it. And what better way to do it in one of the most competitive GT championships in the world in GT World Challenge.
“We’re close to the top. Obviously, before Spa it was going well. At Spa unfortunately, we were out and we missed out on a lot of points. And then coming to Le Mans, which is the most competitive endurance race I think there is.
“So I can’t complain, really, in the position that I am. And you know, what, I’m actually enjoying it quite a lot and a lot more than I expected to at the beginning of the year.
“Because at the beginning of the year, you know, from single seaters, you always have this thing of ‘maybe I can do GT racing later in the future’, but it’s good.”
