“No changes would have happened on my side, I didn’t see this coming,” says Ilott. He’s careful what he says, but presents a mature perspective – and the only sensible one he can take in such circumstances. “These things move in a direction and you just have to make changes. I’m grateful for the opportunity to experience IndyCar and get a feeling for what it’s like. It’s definitely a different atmosphere out there. It’s a surprise and a life change, but that’s how business and life goes. You just have to get back up and adapt, and thankfully I did – and knocked it out of the park with this opportunity.”
The Jota deal came through what he describes as a “mutual” interest. “I had known about da Costa and his situation, that there might be an opportunity.” António Félix da Costa has stepped down from Jota’s WEC campaign to focus purely on his Porsche factory Formula E assault, which faded badly after its strong start to the series’ first Gen3 season. “I had put out some feelers and I got a bite from Sam,” says Ilott. “They were definitely interested. And the fact I’d shown an interest meant a quick response. Over the Bahrain 8 Hours weekend Sam was able to understand the situation and shortly afterwards a conversation in person happened down at their factory. It moved forward fairly swiftly after that.”
Ilott has already sampled the 963 at a test in Qatar – his first experience of a prototype sports car of any kind. He has GT experience under his belt from 2021 in the GT Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, and finished third in GTE Am at Le Mans that same year for Iron Lynx, driving a Ferrari 488 GTE. That will stand him in good stead for what comes next.
“The 963 is a great car,” he says. “I have a lot to learn and discover because they are rather complex machines, but hybrid power is nothing too alien from the bits of F1 I have done.”
Ilott (right) with Mick Schumacher in F3. The pair were F2 title contenders in 2020
Iroz Gaizka/AFP via Getty Images
Transitioning from GTs to the new top class of endurance racing is a whole lot easier than in the LMP1 days, as Ferrari showed in 2023, its ‘graduate training scheme’ paying full dividends with its Le Mans-winning 499P. “I can understand why [the move] is relatable and people didn’t struggle too much with the transition,” says Ilott. “You’ve got more power, downforce and grip, but the feeling of the weight transfer and kerb usage, it all makes sense to me why the GT drivers took to it rather well. What was helpful to me was that year of GTs I did in 2021. That experience should help when we get to racing, and certainly it was relatable. I’ve heard that P2 is a bit more of a single-seater feeling relative to the Hypercar. But the Porsche 963 is a fast car with lots to do and control, and the downforce makes a difference as well.”
The eight-round WEC kicks off on March 2 in Qatar. Once we’ve cleared Christmas it will come up fast on the horizon. “I have no real concrete expectations,” says Ilott, who nevertheless is bullish about his ambitions. “I know I’m a fast driver, I also know there’s a lot to learn in these new environments. In terms of the championship I don’t know, but on individual events I honestly think we have a very good chance to win. Even at Le Mans we have an amazing chance to win there. But it’s endurance racing and anything can happen. It’s a complex level of racing as well.”
Ilott tested in F1 for Alfa Romeo in 2020
Rudy Carezzevoli/F1 via Getty Images
He’s still only in his mid-20s, but in the wake of a strong karting career and so many racing miles in single-seaters, Ilott is a polished, eloquent and seasoned pro. The IndyCar blow must have hurt, but he knows how the game works – and isn’t about to turn his back on the open-wheel world either. Far from it.
“I’m still looking to compete in the Indy 500 this year [2024],” he reveals. “I don’t have a number on probability yet. I’ve been so busy with Jota and making sure I’m in the best shape for that I haven’t really approached it yet.”
How about Formula E? Perhaps in the future. As he says, it’s about the only modern single-seater he hasn’t sampled. “Looking at most of the Hypercar grid there are quite a few guys who balance Formula E and WEC, so that’s something other people show is possible to do – one of them being my team-mate Norman.” Although the da Costa example might be a sign that trend of straddling both series could be coming to an end.
Whatever, Ilott has plenty to smile about this yuletide, especially after such a nasty autumnal shock. The Jota chance is a golden one – much like the Hertz livery. “The more I think about it the more I understand why some people are so confident about this programme,” he says. “I’m really excited. The expectations in certain areas are very high.”