Since starting out in racing 32 years ago, lapping around Rye House in a kart, Mike Conway has had an extensive array of experience bringing him to being the highly decorated sportscar driver of today.
With several IndyCar wins, a British Formula 3 title, two World Endurance Championship driver’s titles and overall wins at the Macau Grand Prix and 24 Hours of Le Mans, his racing profile is awash with trophies across diverse disciplines.
One of the more reserved drivers, Conway’s demeanour should not be taken as misleading, as the Bromley-born prefers to do his talking on the track.
Currently racing for Toyota in the WEC, Conway is looking to add more series wins to his name for the Japanese manufacturer as well as claiming another Le Mans victory in the new Hybrid era, where the competition is dense and high.
It was just ahead of the team’s most recent victory at the 6 Hours of Imola – where Conway drove with Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries to take their first win of the 2024 season – where Motorsport News sat down with the accomplished British driver to ask him readers’ questions and relive his impressive career to date.
Question: When did you decide you wanted to be a racing driver? What prompted that?
James Hilton
Via email
Mike Conway: “It all started with my dad. He took me go karting back when I was eight years old. It was something that he did a little bit when he was younger too. I had an interest as to what karting was and he loved watching motor racing too.
“We went to the Rye House track and did a day with the instructor, and I kind of got hooked, wanted to go back the next day. Before we knew it we had our own go kart and that was it, we were off, going out every weekend racing around the track.”
Question: You started the year really strongly in Formula Renault in 2003 – why did that form not continue? Was there a problem?
Jason Inglis
Via email
“It a good start to the year. I don’t know, maybe a bit of me overdriving the car and just experience in that particular car. I really did love Formula Renault compared to the Formula Ford which I drove the year before. I think Lewis [Hamilton] really gained his momentum as well as the year went on. A mixture
