Jack Aitken on IMSA, His 1 Grand Prix & NASCAR Interest

Jack Aitken has had a varied career in motorsports.

He came up through the traditional open-wheel ladder system, making it to Formula 2 in 2018. He finished fifth in F2 in 2019. At the same time, he was an official Formula 1 test driver, first for Renault (now Alpine), then Williams. That resulted in him making one Grand Prix start in the Sakhir Grand Prix in 2020 after Lewis Hamilton tested positive for COVID-19 and George Russell was called up to replace him.

In 2021, he transitioned to sports car racing, first in GT machinery, then to LMP2 cars in 2022. In 2023, he joined Action Express Racing for the Michelin Endurance Cup races in the then-new Cadillac VSeries.R.

Now, Aitken is in his second full season in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. He recently talked with Frontstretch‘s Phil Allaway at Watkins Glen International about his move to IMSA, his brief stint in Formula 1, Action Express and a recent news story having to do with NASCAR.

Phil Allaway, Frontstretch: So far this year, you’re seventh in GTP points with your best finishes being a pair of fourths [at Sebring and Long Beach]. How would you describe your season to this point?

Jack Aitken: It’s been tough. We’re a team that we expect to be at the front and win. It’s not because it’s our right, but because we feel that we’re good enough.

We have a strong car, a strong team of drivers, but it hasn’t come together this year for a few reasons. We’ve made mistakes, some incidents, bad luck. But we’re only about halfway through the season, so there’s still time to get good results in there and fly up the board.

Allaway: This year, you have Earl Bamber as your full-time teammate in place of Pipo [Derani]. He was in the WEC with the Ganassi organization last year. What does he bring to this program?

Aitken: He’s got a lot of experience, not just with Cadillac, but with other manufacturers. He’s been extremely quick in the car and reliable. He’s a hard racer, so that’s very valuable.

The guy [also] brings a lot outside of the cockpit, which is fantastic. We get on really well. I miss Pipo at times, but I’m really happy with Earl.

Allaway: This is your second full year in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. What are your thoughts right now on the overall championship and the GTP class in particular?

Aitken: It’s great. IMSA is a championship that attracts a lot of different manufacturers. There’s drivers from [around] the world. It’s a different style of racing to the European series, but at the end of the day, it’s the same cars, same drivers.

It’s very competitive [with] very cool tracks. I like it a lot here. It’s my third year. Hopefully, I’m around for a lot more years to come. I find it to be a really nice challenge.

Allaway: A number of drivers that I’ve talked to in the past have described [there being] a completely different vibe here in IMSA as compared to WEC, SRO series and so on. Is it a sort of welcome change after having [a] different mentality, or is it a different form of the same?

Aitken: It’s a welcome change in some senses, for sure. It’s just different cultures.

The first time I came over here, it was quite new to me, but you adapt quite quickly. Everyone was very friendly. I enjoy the style of racing over here more than in the WEC, for example. It’s a bit more chaotic, definitely. Races can be turned on their head halfway around, so you never really know where you’re going to finish.

There’s a certain attraction to that. It’s hard racing, but everyone gets along pretty off the track as well. I enjoy it a lot here.

Allaway: Earlier this year, there was an article that came out in The Athletic that indicated that you were possibly going to get a chance to race in the NASCAR Cup Series at Sonoma Raceway next month, but it is no longer in the cards. How was that pitched to you?

Aitken: I know that Action Express [Racing] has projects sometimes that run alongside the Cadillac program. Maybe something like that comes about in the future. Right now, there’s not a lot for us to say about it, unfortunately.

I’m very happy with where I am. We’ll see if something happens in the future, but right now, I’m focused on the Cadillac program.

Allaway: Did you have any previous interest in trying out stock cars?

Aitken: I’ve always been an interested spectator. Actually, Earl watches the NASCAR stuff all the time. I join him for a little bit of it. He’s much more of an expert than I am, but I’m trying to get up to speed.

It’s an entirely different kind of racing. I’ve always been interested in trying new stuff. It looks bloody difficult, but I love new challenges.

Allaway: I think we’re starting to see a little more crossover these days in motorsports as compared to 10 years ago. In your case, you raced in the feeder series, you raced in Formula 2, served as a test driver in Formula 1 and got to make one Grand Prix start. Seemingly, you could switch back and forth between various forms of racing on a whim.

Aitken: I think sports car racing is a bit more relaxed than single-seaters anyway, so that’s one thing. I think that 30 years ago compared to now, it’s still a bit more unusual to see drivers jumping across such different disciplines. There are a few guys that are able to do it and show that it’s possible. I like jumping between different [cars]. Time in a racecar is always a good time. If I have the opportunity to try something different, I’m all for it. I’ve tried lots of cars in my time already, so if I can add to that list, I’d be happy.

Allaway: Speaking of your Formula 1 adventure, your one Formula 1 start came in the Sakhir Grand Prix in 2020 as a result of Lewis Hamilton testing positive for COVID-19 and George Russell getting called up from Williams to replace him. What were you thinking when the word came down that you were up for the Williams seat?

Aitken: From when I knew that it was a possibility, it was quite an exciting time. I wasn’t expecting it. It all happened very quickly. From the Tuesday to the race weekend, I had just a few days to prepare.

In that situation, it is your job to be ready for a chance when it comes and to have the preparation done and locked away. So I was quite lucky to be in a position where I felt comfortable jumping in.

But it was a very strange time. There were no spectators. Not many people allowed in the paddock. That definitely made it a bit surreal. A bit easier, in some ways.

It was a very quiet weekend for me. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. Since I was a kid, I’d wanted to race in F1. To get that chance, I can look back and say that I put up a performance that I’m proud of. That’s something that I can take for life and hold onto.

Like any driver that’s come up through single-seaters, I would have loved to do F1 for an even longer time. But even that one race is quite special.

Allaway: We’ve got four races remaining after this weekend. Obviously, the goal is to win at some point, but what would you be satisfied with for the rest of this season?

Aitken: I think the championship is a bit of a stretch now, but we’re going to keep trying. We’ve made great inroads to catch up with the Porsches, so we’ll see. Right now, we’re just trying to rack up as many points and podiums as we can. I think we’re capable, and I hope that, starting this weekend, we can get some results in the bag.

At this point of the year, you’re already looking toward the next year, how you can improve. We’re already working on the car and on ourselves. There will be some things that we will be able to do better. We’ve got a handful of races left, but Daytona is not far away, so we’ve got one eye on both these days.

Last Sunday’s Sahlen’s Six Hours at the Glen was shaping up to be the best run of the year for Aitken. The team was fast all weekend (Aitken was fastest in the opening practice session) and led a bunch of laps in the race.

Bamber was leading the race when he was forced to pit coming to the white flag for energy replenishment. As a result, Aitken, Bamber and Frederik Vesti had to settle for fifth.