The inaugural LMP3 Class Champion is determined to end the year in winning ways.
Along with team-mate Sir Chris Hoy, Britain’s most successful Olympic athlete, 18-year-old Charlie has enjoyed an absolutely standout season at the wheel of the No.3 Team LNT Ginetta-Nissan LMP3 prototype race car with three victories from four races thus far.
Having secured the LMP3 title in style last month at Paul Ricard in southern France, the pairing go into the four-hour final race of the championship with all pressure alleviated and with a desire to continue setting the standard and raising the bar.
“Estoril is a track I’ve never been to before, so I’ll have to learn that first of all, but I’ve already been on the sim to prepare as well as possible and to get my eye in”, commented Whyteleafe-based Charlie, “It looks a nice circuit with lots of undulation, hopefully it will suit the Ginetta-Nissan and we can try and extend the gap over the GT class cars again and keep getting quicker.
“I’m just looking to enjoy the whole weekend, we obviously want to end the season with a win if we can to round off a great year but being European champions with a round to spare definitely means all pressure is off. It’s been such a great season, nothing major has gone wrong and we’ve been fastest at every circuit we’ve visited. We’re aiming to continue that form next weekend for sure.”
Arriving in sportscar racing this year with the continued support of Investigo and Curo, after winning the Michelin Ginetta GT4 SuperCup crown last year at his first attempt, Charlie’s rise through the ranks has been nothing short of meteoric.
Fresh from a glittering karting career, he debuted in cars in the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2011 and entered the record books mere weeks into the season when, aged only 14 years and 170 days, he became Britain’s youngest ever winner of a car race. Finishing Vice-Champion that year, Charlie went on to claim the coveted title in 2012 with six victories and seven other podiums.
Switching to single-seaters the following year in BRDC Formula 4, he set the greatest number of fastest laps, led most race laps and claimed three wins on his way to third in the championship. Returning to the Ginetta fold in 2014, Charlie dominated the GT4 SuperCup title battle to secure his second championship and with ELMS glory now under his belt too, the sky really is the limit.
“I’ve been stepping up my training a lot to try and ready myself for whatever comes next”, added the BRDC SuperStar, “Hopefully it will be another step up the ladder. We’re working hard behind the scenes for 2016 and I hope what we’ve done this year hasn’t gone unnoticed.
“The partnership between Chris and I has just got stronger and stronger this year and I’m hoping we can continue racing together next year – we both want to if the opportunity is there. First, though, we’re aiming to end the current season with another win, we’ll be pushing as hard as ever.”
Free practice at Estoril will take place on Saturday, 17th October, with two 90-minute sessions ahead of qualifying on Sunday, 18th October, at 09.30 and the race itself at 13.00. Live coverage of the final round of the European Le Mans Series campaign is set to be screened live on Motors TV.
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