Interview with Offical Ferrari Instructor Sean Hudspeth

Sean Hudspeth is a 26-year-old professional racing driver and coach from Singapore who has been competing at a high level for over 10 years. Sean is also a certified Ferrari instructor and works with the brand during their official events, launches, and roadshows all over the world.

Where do your interests in Ferrari come from?

My grandpa used to race, and my dad brought me up watching all kinds of motorsport. When I was a kid, I have distinct memories of watching Ferrari win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and in F1 with Michael Schumacher. In terms of racing history, pedigree, passion, and emotion, no other brand comes close to Ferrari.

Could you tell how you became the professional racing driver you are today?

It all began with go-karts when I was 12 years old. Some of my friends invited me to a small go-kart track in Singapore, and I loved it so much that I kept going back.

One day, one of the mechanics who worked there told my dad that he saw a lot of potential in me, so we got our hands on an old second-hand go kart and trained very hard for a couple of years. I started competing officially in 2010, which was the first year of the National Karting Championship. As a rookie, I finished on the podium multiple times in my first year and was scouted by the president and founder of a Formula BMW team at the time.

I was inducted into their scholarship test program and eventually did my first Formula One race in 2012. I competed in international championships in Asia and made the move to Europe in 2015, competing in various European endurance championships in a CN prototype. I achieved multiple podiums, including a 3rd place at the prestigious 24 Hours of Zolder. At the end of 2015, I took part in my first GT race with Porsche in Imola. It was my first time in the car and at the track, but I managed to qualify on pole and win the race.

In 2018, I did my first race with Ferrari in the European Challenge in the Pro class. New to the car and to the circuit, I impressed the team with a 2nd place in qualifying and the race, which earned me a seat in the 2019 Italian GT Sprint Championship in the 488 GT3 with the official Ferrari Team, AF Corse. We won the championship in dominant fashion with two races to go.

Could you give advice for youngsters who want to pursue a similar career and get certified by Ferrari?

I’ve always believed that to become a professional racing driver, you have to start at a young age, and one way to do this is to compete in go-kart racing. Obviously, there is a bit of luck involved, like in any professional career, but ultimately, you have to work very hard and make a lot of sacrifices. Like any other athlete, you have to find a way to finance yourself at the start of your career, and unfortunately, go-kart racing has become much more costly than it was when I started. Over time, performance and results are likely to attract financial support in the form of sponsorship and driver academies. Even then, it’s never a "guarantee" that you will be picked up by a team or manufacturer and become a professional driver.

Another, more affordable way into professional motorsport is sim racing, which has become a big thing in recent times. We’ve seen cases where professional simulator racers are able to challenge top level drivers in various series involving real racing cars, such as the Race of Champions (ROC). Ultimately it is very important for a young and up and coming driver to have proper guidance from a pro who has “been there and done that” so that he or she is able to make the right decisions to help their careers.

You race competitively while also growing your motorsport business; can you tell us more about it?

As well as being a professional racing driver, I am also an experienced driver coach and instructor. I have organized various motorsport experiences for many clients around the world, from road tours in Ferrari cars to track experiences in full race machinery. One-to-one coaching with F1-style data telemetry and onboard video analysis is the best way to improve as a driver.

You worked with hundreds of Ferrari clients and drivers at presentations and as a driver coach on the road and on the track. Can you describe your overall experience with Ferrari? And what is the special thing you discovered while working with the brand?

Working with Ferrari has always been a dream of mine, and being associated with them has been nothing but a pleasure. I have had the privilege of meeting some incredible people and visiting some truly breathtaking locations around the world. For sure, the work is not all "glitz and glamour", but it certainly has its perks! It’s fantastic to be part of the Ferrari family.

Which was your best and worst racing experience?

It’s very difficult to pick out just one experience, but any time I have raced a Ferrari in Italy and won, it’s a feeling like no other. I don’t really have a "worst" experience because I absolutely love being at the racetrack, so even the tough days or bad experiences are good ones.

If you are given the opportunity to choose three Ferraris, which three would be in your garage?

• 250 GTO

• F40 LM

• F2004 F1

It’s hard to pick just three!

In 2018, you had your first race ever with Ferrari, and you qualified and finished 2nd overall in the Brno round of the 2018 European Challenge. This incredible result led to a seat in a Ferrari 488 GT3 Evo with the official Ferrari team, AF Corse, to compete in the Italian GT Sprint Championship in 2019. You and your teammate Antonio Fuoco managed to win the class championship in dominant fashion! Can you tell us more about your journey to Ferrari racing and what challenges you faced?

As I was making a name for myself in motor racing, I was put in touch with one of their racing teams by an external contact, and it was evident that they seemed impressed by my racing CV at the time. I faced many challenges at the time, including feeling initially out of place (mainly due to the language barrier) and having to adjust very quickly to a new environment, car, team, championship, and circuit. I had a very steep learning curve ahead of me and had to learn as much as I could from the people around me and improve a lot in a very short period of time. However, they were very kind, supportive, and welcoming in nature, and I soon felt right at home.

What do you think of the 488 GT3 Evo's performance?

For me, it’s the best GT racing car I have ever driven. Coming from the legendary Ferrari Michelotto Factory, the cars have incredibly high levels of performance but are also very well balanced, reliable, technologically advanced, and rewarding to drive.

You got two victories in one month in August 2020 with Ferrari, which is quite amazing. In your opinion, which racetrack is more challenging, Imola or Misano?

Both are incredibly challenging and enjoyable to drive. Misano is a very technical circuit, whereas Imola is a very fast, old-school track with a lot of elevation and not a lot of runoff. Therefore, it is dangerous and very unforgiving if you make a mistake. I love Imola because it’s very exciting to drive and has a lot of racing history behind it.

You’re currently competing in the sprint and endurance championships of the 2020 Italian GT with Ferrari Team EasyRace. What is your vision and plan for Ferrari in the future?

My ultimate goal is to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans with Ferrari.