Winning DW Racing team appoints Sussex Autos racer Will Hunt as Driver Coach

Will Hunt has taken on a role as Driver Coach at the winning DW Racing team as it prepares for a multi-faceted 2024 campaign that encompasses the Hagerty Radical UK Cup and 750 Motor Club.

The West Sussex-domiciled driver was DW Racing’s competitor for the entirety of his four-year stint in the Radical SR1 Cup, but the Huntingdon-based team closely observed his development as a young racer and has kept track of his burgeoning coaching career, opening the door to a brand new role.

Hunt was among the first intake for Motorsport UK’s Certificate in Coaching Motorsport, which he completed in the spring of 2023, having originally been chosen for the national governing body’s Academy programme.

From the Motorsport UK ‘Squad’ to ‘Team UK Futures’, exclusive industry insight, educational classes and tailored events run by expert Academy instructors over 24 months set him off on a career path as a professional driver coach.

In fact, since qualifying as an Association of Racing Driver Schools (ARDS) A Instructor, the Sussex Autos-backed racer has engaged in countless retail experiences, trackdays, private tests and raceday tuition.

He has worked with hopefuls in the formative stages of their careers and taken on Race Instructor roles at Silverstone, Thruxton, and with MotorSport Vision at his local circuit of Brands Hatch.

His brand new assignment as DW Racing’s Driver Coach builds on these positions, as he will be dedicated to the development of each of the team’s young drivers, including SR1 newcomer Sam Shaw and SR3 XXR rookie Oscar Joyce, in the Radical UK Cup and 750 Motor Club.

His primary tasks will be to harness all of his own experiences as a racing driver and skills acquired as an instructor to refine driving techniques and standards, while also working to improve drivers’ mental preparation and resilience, physical fitness and their grasp of the theory of racing.

DW Racing Team Principal, Darren Winter, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Will (Hunt) to the DW Racing fold as the team’s Driver Coach. Will himself developed rapidly as a racer during his time in the Radical SR1 Cup and it was impressive to see the amount of time, energy and commitment he injected into making himself a better, well-rounded racer, both on and off the track.

“Will’s understanding of what it takes to win will be invaluable to all our young aspirants, who often struggle to appreciate how their off-track activities and behaviours can have a bearing on their on-track performances. It’s about staying in the zone and not getting distracted between races, perhaps by analysing data in the never-ending search for lap time or engaging in physical exercise. I obviously hope to see results – we’re all racers who want to win – but I’ve been in motorsport for decades and seeing drivers grow and develop has always been rewarding. It vindicates all the time and effort we put into our racing.”

Hunt added: “I’ve known Darren (Winter) and the DW Racing team since I started racing Radicals back in 2018. I’ve always had a great amount of support from them and I was approached about taking on a role as DW Racing’s Driver Coach, where I’ll be working to develop the next generation – my successors, I guess – and bring them through the ranks from Radical SR1s to SR3s and beyond. I’m excited to have the chance to work with the likes of Sam Shaw and Oscar Joyce as they take their first steps in the Hagerty Radical UK Cup, and it’s rewarding to be recognised for the work I’m doing as a coach.

“My role with DW Racing will be multi-dimensional because it will not only be about ensuring the drivers do the right things on the track but also before and during each race meeting. I’ll be looking at their physical training, nutrition and mentalities to make sure they’re as prepared as they can be for the races, imparting my own experiences to influence their development and help them achieve their goals, which I’m sure is to win races and championships.”