Matt Parry is widely considered to be one of the most exciting emerging British motorsport talents and has enjoyed a remarkable progression from karting through to GP3 and, most recently, the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup. This rapid rise has earned him national media attention, as well as tips to become the next British racer to drive in Formula One, following in the footsteps of the likes of Jackie Stewart, Damon Hill, Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton.
The 23 year old, who was born in Cardiff, Wales, began his motorsport journey at the age of eight, initially riding motocross bikes, before transitioning to four wheels a couple of years later. The youngster quickly progressed through the karting ranks and was soon competing on the national stage and enjoying success. As a result, his single-seater début followed in 2011, as Parry raced for Fluid Motorsport in the British Formula Ford Championship.
In 2013, Parry switched to the Formula Renault 2.0 NEC series and enjoyed instant success, winning five races over the course of his first season. That same year, his breakthrough performances were recognised when he was nominated for – and eventually presented with – the 25th McLaren Autosport BRDC Award; previously won by Formula One drivers like Jenson Button and David Coulthard. This earned him a £100,000 cash prize, as well as the opportunity to test a Formula One car with the McLaren team.
Two podium seasons in GP3 followed in 2015 and 2016, with Parry winning his first race at that level at the world famous Hungaroring circuit in Hungary during his second season. The win was made more impressive by the fact that he started second on the grid. Most recently, the promising driver has progressed to the Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup, where he has been racing a Nissan GT-R NISMO GT3 for the RJN Motorsport team. Among other experiences, this enabled him to race for three hours around the Silverstone circuit back in May 2017.
Before that particular event, Trackdays.co.uk afforded the chance to catch up with Matt Parry and discuss a wide range of topics, including his remarkable career to this point, his idol Valentino Rossi, his experiences racing around Silverstone, and the best car he has driven. In addition, we were able to get some expert tips from the young driver for any beginners looking to enjoy a driving experience day and start their own motorsport journey.
Visit Trackdays.co.uk to read the full interview with Matt Parry.
