Phil Hanson on Bahrain: “Nothing to lose, everything to gain!”

The FIA WEC will return to action for a final time in 2023 with the Bahrain International Circuit hosting the season-closer on 4 November.

The stakes will never be higher with three crews still in contention to clinch the final FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 teams and drivers. Among those three is Phil Hanson’s United Autosports No. 22 car. The 24-year-old driver will take on the race alongside fellow Brit Frederick Lubin and Portuguese veteran Filipe Albuquerque.

Hanson put in a strong shift in the previous WEC round at Fuji by clinching pole position and second place with his teammates.

“We've been struggling at Fuji for the last few years”, he explains. “To finally be able to solve why those weak performances have happened in the past was really rewarding. To come away with second place demonstrates that we've managed to sort of figure out what was going on. It fills us with a lot of confidence that we can do the same in Bahrain. We need to be looking at a win there. But I've got all the confidence that the team and my teammates are able to deliver that.”

Hanson knows that it will take more than a victory to topple the leading No. 41 Team WRT entry in the LMP2 standings. The Belgian outfit has a 34-point lead on the third-placed United Autosports No. 22 car. A maximum of 39 points will be awarded for the Bahrain season-closer. 

“The stars do need to align for us to win the championship”, underlines Phil. “We need to not only win and score maximum points but also have a bit of a disaster for the leading WRT car. It's nothing to lose, everything to gain. But at the same time, we're not gonna go out there and do anything stupid. We just want to win the race and do whatever it takes to accomplish that. It's the main target and then, whatever happens happens. I think I'd be very disappointed to leave Bahrain without second place at the bare minimum.”

The inability to string together strong results throughout the season has deeply hurt the No. 22's title credentials. The United Autosports outfit has had a stellar start of the season, winning the opener at Sebring and clinching second place at Portimão before hitting a slump from Spa-Franchorchamps to Monza. Meanwhile, the No. 41’s WRT's worst result was a fourth-place finish in Florida.

“Consistency is definitely the reason we’re not leading the Championship at this point of the season. Reliability and the cars were strong. Drivers have done a good job and strategies were good too. But looking at the bigger picture across the last few years, I feel like things have not gotten our way. We've been competitive in the last couple of years, but we had misfortunes and mistakes which hampered championship progress.”

Hanson takes for example the last two outings at Le Mans where the No.22 got taken out at Turn 1 last year, and then crashed into a GTE Am during the Centenary race. 

Still, the 2020 FIA WEC LMP2 champion looks back on the current campaign with many positive things to say. “I think the season has been strong. There has been an accumulation of things that came together this year to allow us to be more consistent and challenge for wins. But it’s not foreign to us. It’s very much an expectation of ours to be battling at the front. In that regard, the last couple of seasons have been quite painful. I’m glad we’re back this year. Although, there is a little bit of frustration not to be in a more competitive position to be able to win the title this year.”

Speaking on the LMP2 campaign, Hanson reflects on what has been a slow-burner of a title fight between themselves, Team WRT and Inter Europol Competition. The Briton considers that the title fight did not really translate into track battles due to the challengers’ different swings in momentums this season. “Teams have had successful and disastrous weekends. We have struggled at Le Mans (8th), which cost us a lot of points whilst Inter Europol has had the upset, winning Le Mans and getting the maximum points (50) there is to gain.”

Hanson, the youngest British driver ever to win at Le Mans at 21, three years ago, is gunning for a return to Le Mans. “I'd also like to remain in WEC, obviously that would mean stepping up to the Hypercar category, which has been an ambition of mine in recent times. Although, I’d like some sort of base in America to compete in IMSA”.

The Briton will be granted his wish to get behind the wheel of an Hypercar. On Tuesday, JDC-Miller MotorSports announced Hanson would join the team’s Porsche 963 GTP program in 2024 for all five IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup events - an ideal springboard for his young racing career.