Will Bratt

Last updated

Will Bratt
Will bratt silverstone2013.JPG
Nationality Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British
Born (1988-04-13) 13 April 1988 (age 35)
Oxford, England
British Touring Car Championship career
Debut season 2012
Current team Rob Austin Racing
Racing licence FIA Silver Driver.png FIA Silver
Car number14
Starts41
Wins0
Poles0
Fastest laps0
Best finish19th in 2013
Previous series
2015
201011
2009–10
2009
2008
2007
200508
200405
2003–04
Formula Renault 3.5 Series
Formula Two
GP2 Asia Series
Euroseries 3000
Spanish Formula Three
FPA Winter Trophy
Formula Renault 2.0 UK
FR2.0 UK Winter Series
T Cars
Championship titles
2009
2009
2004
Euroseries 3000
Italian Formula 3000
T Cars
Awards
2007 BRDC Rising Star

William Bratt [1] (born 13 April 1988 in Oxford) is a British racing driver. He previously competed in the British Touring Car Championship with Rob Austin Racing.

Contents

Career

T Cars

After three years in Super 1 karting, Bratt moved into the T Cars series for drivers between fourteen and seventeen years old, in 2003. He finished fourth in the championship in his rookie season, winning a single race at Snetterton. [2] He dominated the 2004 season, finishing every one of the eighteen races on the podium, winning fourteen of them to win the championship by 58 points from runner-up Ruth Senior.

Formula Renault

After his T Car championship, Bratt moved into single-seaters for the 2004 Formula Renault UK Winter Series, with Scorpio Motorsport. He finished eleventh in the championship, missing out on the top ten by just one point. This performance led to a full season campaign in 2005, staying with Scorpio. After a steady opening, Bratt recorded a best finish of eleventh twice before finishing fifteenth in the championship, and runner-up in the Graduate Cup for first-year drivers. He continued with Scorpio into the 2005 Winter Series, finishing ninth with 54 points.

Another campaign with Scorpio followed in 2006, and Bratt's results steadily improved resulting in a first win at Oulton Park. He also finished on the podium at Donington Park en route to eighth place in the championship. With six of the seven drivers who finished above him in 2006 moving out of the championship, Bratt became a championship contender for the 2007 season. Good starts from championship rivals Duncan Tappy and Dean Smith left Bratt on the back foot after the first few rounds. After achieving a double win at Croft, he added further wins at Oulton Park and Brands Hatch, but he was out of the championship running before the final few races such were the dominance of the Fortec cars of his rivals. Bratt was unopposed in third, finishing some 32 points clear of Adam Christodoulou. His performances earned him a place on the British Racing Drivers' Club's "Rising Star" scheme. [3]

In the off-season, Bratt competed in the Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Trophy, finishing second in the series without winning a race. He also made a return to Formula Renault in the 2008 season, replacing Sho Hanawa at the Silverstone meeting in support of the World Series by Renault.

Formula Three

Bratt moved to Spain to compete in the Spanish Formula Three Championship for the 2008 season, competing for former Formula One driver Emilio de Villota's team. [4] After two top-five finishes on his debut at Jarama, Bratt recorded both his first pole position and podium during the first race at Spa. After a barren run of just seven points in ten races, Bratt ended the season impressively with a pair of second places and a pair of third places at the final two rounds in Barcelona and Jerez, ultimately finishing fifth in the overall championship.

Euroseries 3000

Bratt continued with de Villota's team, moving into the Euroseries 3000 for the 2009 season. [5] Heading into the final round, Bratt was one of four drivers who could still win the title as he was only six points behind championship leader Fabio Onidi. Bratt finished first and second in the two races, with his second-place finish breaking a tie with Marco Bonanomi. Both drivers finished with 71 points and four wins, but Bratt's second gave him a 3–2 advantage in relation to the championship. Not only winning the Euroseries 3000 title, Bratt also won the Italian Formula 3000 Championship crown.

GP2 Series

As a prize for winning the Euroseries 3000 title, Bratt won a drive in the GP2 Asia Series for the 2009–10 season with Euroseries 3000 organisers Coloni Motorsport. [6]

Formula Two

Bratt moved into the FIA Formula Two Championship in 2010. [7]

He was the only driver disqualified from a race that season. Bratt was disqualified from the second race at Silverstone having failed to obey a drive-through penalty and being black flagged – he finished second but received no points.

Bratt came 9th in the championship out of 30 drivers with 92 points despite missing 8 out of the 16 rounds.

British Touring Car Championship

Rob Austin Racing (2012–2013)

Bratt driving for Rob Austin Racing at Brands Hatch, during the 2012 British Touring Car Championship season. Will bratt car brandshatchgp2012.JPG
Bratt driving for Rob Austin Racing at Brands Hatch, during the 2012 British Touring Car Championship season.

Bratt made his touring car debut with Rob Austin Racing at the Oulton Park round of the 2012 season. [8] He finished eighth on his début in the Audi A4 and won Dunlop's "Most Improved Independent Driver Award". [9] He stayed with the team for the next round at Croft but was unable to secure the sponsorship to continue in the championship at Snetterton. He returned to the team for the final three events of the season starting at Rockingham. [10] He qualified a season best thirteenth on the grid at the final round at Brands Hatch and finished ninth in the first race before retiring from the second race having collided with the stricken BMW of Rob Collard. Bratt concluded the season 20th in the drivers standings after contesting half of the events.

Bratt will continue in the championship for the 2013 season with Rob Austin Racing, now competing under the WIX Racing banner. [11]

Racing record

Career summary

SeasonSeriesTeamRacesWinsPolesF/LapsPodiumsPointsPosition
2003 T Cars 2010163084th
2004 T Cars 18141616183501st
Formula Renault UK Winter Series Scorpio Motorsport400004011th
2005 Formula Renault UK Scorpio Motorsport2000009515th
Formula Renault UK Winter Series 400 ?0549th
2006 Formula Renault UK Apotex Scorpio Motorsport2010022638th
2007 Formula Renault UK Apotex Scorpio Motorsport2042174163rd
Formula Palmer Audi Winter Trophy60213972nd
2008 Spanish Formula 3 Championship EmiliodeVillota.com Motorsport 170125675th
Formula Renault UK Apotex Scorpio Motorsport200001423rd
2009 Euroseries 3000 EmiliodeVillota.com Motorsport 134239711st
2009–10 GP2 Asia Series Scuderia Coloni 80000025th
2010 FIA Formula Two Championship MotorSport Vision 1800041445th
2011 FIA Formula Two Championship MotorSport Vision 81103929th
2012 British Touring Car Championship Rob Austin Racing 1500003820th
2013 British Touring Car Championship WIX Racing 2700003219th
2015 Formula Renault 3.5 Series Pons Racing 20000027th
2018 Porsche Carrera Cup GB IN2 Racing80000187th
2019 Porsche Carrera Cup GB In2Racing200000NC†
2021 Porsche Carrera Cup GB - Pro Richardson Racing160000249th
2023 Le Mans Cup - LMP3 Murphy Prototypes 20000131st

As Bratt was a guest driver, he was ineligible to score points. * Season still in progress.

Complete GP2 Asia Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearEntrant12345678DCPoints
2009–10 Scuderia Coloni ABU1
FEA

12
ABU1
SPR

Ret
ABU2
FEA

11
ABU2
SPR

21
BHR1
FEA

16
BHR1
SPR

Ret
BHR2
FEA

15
BHR2
SPR

16
25th0

Complete FIA Formula Two Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year123456789101112131415161718PosPoints
2010 SIL
1

6
SIL
2

5
MAR
1

Ret
MAR
2

3
MON
1

4
MON
2

3
ZOL
1

14
ZOL
2

5
ALG
1

Ret
ALG
2

5
BRH
1

4
BRH
2

3
BRN
1

8
BRN
2

10
OSC
1

6
OSC
2

7
VAL
1

2
VAL
2

15
5th144
2011 SIL
1

2
SIL
2

DSQ
MAG
1

8
MAG
2

7
SPA
1

1
SPA
2

3
NÜR
1

7
NÜR
2

2
BRH
1
BRH
2
RBR
1
RBR
2
MON
1
MON
2
CAT
1
CAT
2
9th92

Complete British Touring Car Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position – 1 point awarded in first race) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap – 1 point awarded all races) (* signifies that driver lead race for at least one lap – 1 point given)

YearTeamCar123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930DCPoints
2012 Rob Austin Racing Audi A4 BRH
1
BRH
2
BRH
3
DON
1
DON
2
DON
3
THR
1
THR
2
THR
3
OUL
1

8
OUL
2

Ret
OUL
3

11
CRO
1

9
CRO
2

18
CRO
3

Ret
SNE
1
SNE
2
SNE
3
KNO
1
KNO
2
KNO
3
ROC
1

Ret
ROC
2

Ret
ROC
3

15
SIL
1

13
SIL
2

Ret
SIL
3

13
BRH
1

9
BRH
2

Ret
BRH
3

12
20th38
2013 Rob Austin Racing Audi A4 BRH
1

12
BRH
2

Ret
BRH
3

14
DON
1

25
DON
2

19
DON
3

14
THR
1

18
THR
2

22
THR
3

17
OUL
1

17
OUL
2

13
OUL
3

6
CRO
1

15
CRO
2

18
CRO
3

Ret
SNE
1

NC
SNE
2

16
SNE
3

Ret
KNO
1

20
KNO
2

Ret
KNO
3

10
ROC
1

Ret
ROC
2

DNS
ROC
3

Ret
SIL
1

22
SIL
2

12
SIL
3

Ret
BRH
1
BRH
2
BRH
3
19th32

Complete Formula Renault 3.5 Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

YearTeam1234567891011121314151617PosPoints
2015 Pons Racing ALC
1
ALC
2
MON
1
SPA
1
SPA
2
HUN
1
HUN
2
RBR
1
RBR
2
SIL
1

12
SIL
2

15
NÜR
1
NÜR
2
BUG
1
BUG
2
JER
1
JER
2
27th0

Personal

Bratt attended Bloxham School, Oxfordshire and has a degree in history from Lincoln College, Oxford. [12]

Will Bratt is also a musician (guitarist and writer) and plays in the popular Oxfordshire-based cover band Mr Blue and Little Liars.

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References

  1. "2009 GP2 Series: October 7th – Morning session testing results" (PDF). crono-jerez.com. Circuito de Jerez. 7 October 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2009.[ dead link ]
  2. "Snetterton – 4/5 October 2003". jamesjakes.com. James Jakes. 4 October 2003. Archived from the original on 13 July 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
  3. "Single-seater ace Bratt named BRDC Rising Star". willbratt.com. Will Bratt. 14 September 2007. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
  4. "Bratt set for race debut". crash.net. Crash Media Group. 28 April 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
  5. "Bratt confirms step-up to Euroseries 3000 for 2009 season". willbratt.com. Will Bratt. 24 April 2009. Archived from the original on 15 July 2009. Retrieved 13 October 2009.
  6. O'Leary, Jamie (19 October 2009). "Bratt joins Coloni for GP2 Asia". autosport.com. Haymarket Publications . Retrieved 26 October 2009.
  7. "Briton Will Bratt joins the 2010 Formula Two grid". FIA Formula Two Championship . MotorSport Vision. 15 March 2010. Archived from the original on 22 March 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  8. Hudson, Neil (6 June 2012). "Will Bratt to race for Rob Austin Racing at Oulton Park". TouringCarTimes. Mediaempire Stockholm AB. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  9. "Encouraging debut for Bratt". British Touring Car Championship . TOCA. 13 June 2012. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  10. "Two Audis for Rockingham". British Touring Car Championship . TOCA. 7 September 2012. Archived from the original on 21 February 2013. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  11. Austin, Rob (10 January 2013). "Rob Austin Racing confirms title partner and driver line up for 2013 BTCC assault" (PDF). Rob Austin . Rob Austin Racing Ltd. Retrieved 10 January 2013.[ permanent dead link ]
  12. "FR Will Bratt season 2006 review". racecar.com. 22 November 2006. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Simon Walker-Hansell
T Cars Champion
2004
Succeeded by
Preceded by Euroseries 3000
Champion

2009
Succeeded by
Romain Grosjean
(AutoGP)
Preceded by Italian Formula 3000
Champion

2009
Succeeded by
Romain Grosjean
(AutoGP)