The endurance racing world bids farewell to one of its most consistent and respected figures as Mike Conway officially announced his decision to retire from full-time racing at the end of the current FIA World Endurance Championship season. This major announcement marks the end of a golden era for the British driver, who has written his name in the history books across various prestigious international championships through more than two decades of dedication, raw speed, and exceptional endurance on the tarmac.
Conway's motorsport journey began from the grassroots, finding considerable success in European F3 championships before earning the opportunity to serve as a test driver for the Honda Racing F1 team in 2007 and 2008 while simultaneously competing in the highly competitive GP2 series. His career then took him across the Atlantic to North America in 2008, where an IndyCar test led to a full-time seat with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing and yielded four impressive race wins across five seasons in the premier American open-wheel championship.
A monumental turning point in his career arrived in 2013 when he made his sportscar debut with G-Drive Racing in the LMP2 category of the World Endurance Championship. Securing four victories from eight rounds immediately caught the attention of Toyota Racing, who swiftly signed him to their premier LMP1 program—a partnership that would define the rest of his illustrious professional career.
As a cornerstone of Toyota's #7 crew, he enjoyed immense success alongside Kamui Kobayashi and Jose Maria Lopez, capturing back-to-back FIA World Endurance Drivers' Championship titles in 2019-20 and 2021. The pinnacle of his endurance career came in 2021 when he finally secured his long-awaited overall victory at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, cementing his legacy as one of the championship's all-time greats through a lethal combination of relentless speed and tactical consistency.
Reflecting on his remarkable career journey, Conway shared a heartfelt farewell message detailing his transition away from the cockpit. “It’s been an amazing journey, and one I wouldn’t change for the world,” he reflected, tracing back to when his father first introduced him to a local kart track at eight years old, igniting a lifelong passion that took him across the globe to live out his ultimate dream job.
Stepping away from the demanding world of professional endurance racing was ultimately driven by a desire to prioritize family after achieving every goal he set out to conquer. “Deciding to step back from full-time racing wasn’t easy, but after winning Le Mans for a second time this year, it felt like the right moment to close this chapter and focus on my family. To bow out with two Le Mans wins, two world titles and as the most successful British driver in the championship’s history is something of which I’m incredibly proud,” Conway concluded.
Baca Juga
Mike Conway umumkan pensiun dari WEC di akhir musim 2026. Tutup karier gemilang bersama Toyota usai raih dua kemenangan Le Mans dan dua gelar dunia.
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