Will Hunt: I love motorsport coaching – but still get thrill from racing

My work as an Instructor at Silverstone, teaching driving experience customers and private individuals in an array of exotic high performance cars, is now complemented by roles at both Brands Hatch and Thruxton.

The opportunities kept rolling in after completing the Motorsport UK Certificate in Coaching Motorsport course, especially as I can now dedicate the time previously spent buried in coursework between training days and online classes to real-world coaching.

The fact is, I’m a better teacher because of the certificate, which opened my eyes to different on and off-track techniques that have improved the way I analyse data and communicate with customers, including young aspiring professionals and amateur ‘gentleman drivers’ who want to up their game in my old stomping ground, the Radical UK Cup.

Official pre-season testing revealed my protégés were more focused and more capable of deciphering and dissecting data and on-board videos, which unlocked more confidence and pace, and translated into improved results.

I couldn’t be happier with my drivers’ pace, racecraft and attitudes, and I had a lot to build on over the course of the 2023 season, which included the usual ups and downs but was bookended by personal best second-place results.

Of course, while I had been a positive influence on others, I hadn’t chased race wins and podium finishes myself in more than a year.

However, my desire to compete never waned and a great deal of perseverance led to a drive in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS), with the backing of Hailsham-based automotive transmission parts distributors and Torque Converter remanufacturers, Sussex Autos.

The NLS is made up of a group of motorsport clubs who combine to form a nine-race campaign held entirely on the notorious Nordschleife, which, as one of the most demanding circuits in the world, is affectionately known as ‘The Green Hell’.

Up to 165 entries go hunting for points and trophies around the unforgiving 15-mile track, which carves its way through Germany’s Eifel Mountains, and participants range from amateurs in road-legal production cars to professional factory teams with thoroughbred GT3s.

I made my international debut in an Adrenalin Motorsport BMW 330i touring car that I shared with former FIA Lotus Cup Europe Champion and fellow Motorsport UK Academy alumnus Toby Goodman in NLS4 (16-17 June).

I started by visiting the ‘The Ring’ to earn my compulsory DMSB Permit Nordschleife that qualified me to take up position on the starting grid and the excitement kept ramping up as I approached what would undoubtedly be the biggest challenge of my career to date.

As the Nürburgring Nordschleife is an eight-minute lap made up of over 150 corners, there was a lot to learn, but it was comforting to be facing it with former NLS Champion Adrenalin Motorsport and my pal Toby.

I was determined to bring some silverware back home to Sussex but my first priorities were to get fully acquainted with ‘The Ring’ and adapt my driving to the BMW, which, in contrast to the ‘aero cars’ I’m accustomed to in the Radical SR1 Cup, relies solely on the mechanical grip provided by its tyres.

Exceptionally detailed information, feedback and guidance from Adrenalin went some way to compensating for a loss of track-time and helped me achieve my objectives in testing, ensuring I was race-ready.

Extraordinarily, we reached the VT2 R+4WD class rostrum on debut and that incredible feeling will live with me for a very long time.

Looking at my own race performance, it was satisfying to bring my crew up into the podium fight during my double stint in the middle phase of the race, especially as there were plenty of Code 60s and double waved yellows to deal with.

The tyres were well and truly past their best towards the end of my stint, so keeping the car on the track was a challenge, especially as cockpit temperatures soared to a point where it became difficult to maintain focus.

I’m more than happy with my overall showing and, while we were less fortunate in our subsequent outings in the ROWE 6h ADAC Ruhr-Pokal-Rennen (7-8 July) and the blue riband 12h Nürburgring (9-10 September), I continued progressing and ultimately achieved a permit to compete in the top classes of the 2024 NLS.

None of it would have been possible without my new partner, Sussex Autos. Matt Hyne and the whole crew have been incredibly supportive, and to be able to finally represent them as a brand ambassador is something I'm very proud of.

As a racing driver, I always want to get the most from each and every race and it was pretty frustrating to come away from a big event like the 12-hour with a sixth-place result when we could have realistically challenged for another podium.

Nevertheless, it was a great start to my partnership with Sussex Autos and we’re already looking at options for 2024, both at and away from the Nürburgring.

The fact is, there are plenty of mouth-watering prospects and I can’t wait to tell you how things unfold as I seek more support in the coming weeks and months.

Will Hunt, from Hurstpierpoint, writes regularly for Sussexworld.co.uk and the Mid Sussex Times