This weekend sees the 2024 F3 season get underway, so we caught up with Rodin Motorsport rookie, Joseph Loake to reflect upon his career so far and the step up to F3.
18 year-old Loake from Macclesfield, UK, has enjoyed a strong junior series so far with race-winning success in every category that he has participatd in, and will now make the leap up to F3 with Rodin Motorsport.
With the new F3 season set to commence on Thursday 29 February, Loake reflected upon his inspiration and success so far whilst looking ahead to a huge campaign ahead on the road to F1 as the reigning Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Driver of the Year.
Who inspired you to become a racing driver?
Loake: “For me someone who I have always looked up to is Max Verstappen. His mindset it just ruthless and his talent is unmatched and therefore there is a lot to learn from him!”
Having enjoyed a strong karting career during which you won NatSKA Class 11 title and taken wins against older drivers, what was it like learning from your older rivals whilst honing your race skills and especially with a title under your belt?
Loake: “It was very difficult to compete against people older more experienced, however it helped me develop and mature at a faster rate and really boost my progress.”
2019 saw you step up to Fiesta Junior Championship where you finished as vice-champion in your first season in car racing before dominating in 2020. Looking back across those two seasons, what was it like adapting your experience of karting into that championship with huge success?
Loake: “Moving to Fiestas was pretty difficult at first due to how different it was from karting, however I think it really helped me develop an understanding of what it takes to be fast in any car.
“Karting has no suspension or anything like that so therefore when you get into a car it can feel very strange, however to have started learning and understanding how to drive cars at such a young age definitely helped me in my F4 years!”
You went on to spend 2021-22 in British F4 where you took seven wins in total and seven further podiums plus race in 2022 F4 UAE. Having spent two seasons in car racing, how different did you find single-seater racing compared to Fiesta Junior Championship?
Loake: “F4 was pretty much as far away from fiesta’s as you can get, so it certainly wasn’t easy.
“I actually found that the car change wasn’t the biggest thing to learn, but it was the way of racing and the aggression you had to have when wheel to wheel. It took me a while to understand how to race properly!”
Last season saw you graduate to GB3 where you enjoyed strong consistency with four wins to finish third overall. Having experienced consistent mid top-ten results in British F4, how much did it meant to carry that into GB3 but challenge for the title as a rookie?
Loake: “Going into GB3 I really wasn’t thinking about a championship challenge or anything like but during testing I knew I was pretty quick and had a feeling the year could be quite good, however to turn up at round 1 and qualify P1 was just so unexpected, and to be honest I think even the team were quite shocked!”
2023 ended on a high as you won Aston Martin Autosport BRDC Driver of the Year and will now get a test with Aston Martin’s F1 team. With drivers like George Russell and Zak O’Sullivan having previously won that award, how special is it to follow in their footsteps as a winner and get that F1 test with Aston Martin?
Loake: “Honestly it still feels surreal now! Thinking back to the Autosport Awards night, even now I have to pinch myself to make sure that it actually happened!
And of course, to have the opportunity to drive a Formula 1 car is something not many people get to experience in their lifetime. It will be an absolute privilege and I cannot wait for that day!”
This season sees a huge step up into F3 with Rodin Motorsport. Having spent the last three seasons with JHR Developments, what are your expectations for the season ahead in a new series and team?
Loake: “Moving to FIA Formula 3 with Rodin Motorsport is a massive challenge, but it’s a challenge I am more than excited for.
“It’s going to be difficult and will for sure have its ups and downs, however just to have the opportunity to race for a team like Rodin and in a championship like F3 feels like a dream!”
Considering that you’re currently not part of a F1 academy, how much would it mean to ultimately reach F1 and race in the British GP?
Loake: “Of course it would be absolutely amazing to make it to Formula 1 and race at my home grand prix, however I think if I did get to that point I would always be searching for more.
I know for a fact that my thought process would be: ‘oh cool I’m racing in my home grand prix? Well I wanna win it now!’ and I think that sort of mindset is so important. I always believe in always striving for perfection, even when perfection isn’t possible!”
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