Mike Simpson (racing driver)
British racing driver (born 1983)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Michael James Simpson (born 13 September 1983) is a British racing driver set to compete in the GT2 European Series for CMR. A staple of Ginetta's racing ventures, he raced in the premier LMP1 class of the FIA World Endurance Championship and now serves as Ginetta Motorsport CEO.
British
FIA Bronze (2015)[1]
FIA Gold (2016–2017, 2020–2025)[2]
FIA Silver (2018–2019, 2026–)[3]2018
201624H Series Middle East – GTX
24H Proto Series European Championship – P2
Challenge Endurance PFV V de V
| Mike Simpson | |
|---|---|
Simpson in 2019 | |
| Nationality | British |
| Born | 13 September 1983 Beverley, England |
| Racing licence | FIA Bronze (2015)[1] FIA Gold (2016–2017, 2020–2025)[2] FIA Silver (2018–2019, 2026–)[3] |
| Championship titles | |
| 2025–26 2018 2016 | 24H Series Middle East – GTX 24H Proto Series European Championship – P2 Challenge Endurance PFV V de V |
Career
Simpson began karting in 1991, competing until 2011.[4] During his karting career, Simpson won the Super One Series three times in Rotax Max and once in Formula KGP,[5][6] as well as the 2003 Rok Cup International Final in the Senior class.[7]
In the midst of his karting career, Simpson made his car racing debut in 2004, competing in Renault Clio Cup UK.[4] Following one-off appearances in the Ginetta G50 and GT4 European Cups in 2008 and 2009,[8] Simpson made his full-time return to cars in the 2011 British GT Championship for Stark Racing, as he began a long-term relationship with Ginetta Cars.[9] In his first season in the series, Simpson scored two points finishes, with a best result of ninth at Rockingham as he ended the year 25th in the GT3 standings.[10]
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Returning to the series for 2012, Simpson competed for Century Motorsport in the GT4 class at Oulton Park, finishing third in race two.[11] Following that, Simpson returned to the GT3 class at Rockingham for Optimum Motorsport,[12] before returning to Team LNT for the final two rounds, in which he scored a best result of fourth at Silverstone.[13] During 2012, Simpson made various one-off appearances for Ginetta-fielding teams in Europe, most notably competing for Nova Race at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring and in the Ginetta G50 Cup Italy.[14][15] After returning to British GT with Team LNT for 2013,[16] Simpson switched to Challenge Endurance GT/Tourisme V de V for the following year, qualifying on pole four times in the seven race season.[17]
Continuing with Team LNT for 2015, Simpson raced with them in both the LMP3 class of the European Le Mans Series and the GT3 class of the British GT Championship.[18][19] In the former, Simpson took a lone podium in the season-opening Oulton Park round as he ended the season eighth in the GT3 Pro-Am standings.[20] Competing in all but one round of the latter, Simpson finished second on debut at Silverstone and took his only win of the season at Estoril en route to a fourth-place points finish.[21]
Remaining in British GT for 2016, Simpson raced for Tolman Motorsport in GT3 Pro-Am for the second consecutive season, scoring a best result of sixth in race two at Snetterton.[22] In parallel, Simpson raced in the Challenge Endurance V de V for Team LNT,[23] taking four wins and securing the PFV class title at Estoril.[24] At the end of the year, Simpson joined ARC Bratislava to race in the 2016–17 Asian Le Mans Series in the LMP3 class,[25] taking a lone win at Buriram to end the season third in points.[26]
Simpson remained in the V de V Endurance Series for the rest of 2017, driving for both Simpson Motorsport and Pegasus Racing as he scored two wins to end the year third in the PFV points.[27] In parallel, Simpson drove in select rounds of the British GT Championship for Century Motorsport in the GT4 Pro-Am class, in which he finished on the class podium at Donington Park.[28] The following year, Simpson primarily raced in the 24H Proto Series for Simpson Motorsport, coming runner-up in the Continents series after winning all three races,[29] and winning a truncated European Series at Silverstone.[30] During 2018, he also made his FIA World Endurance Championship debut at the 24 Hours of Le Mans for CEFC TRSM Racing in the LMP1 class.[31] Following a cameo appearance in the LMP3 class of the 2018–19 Asian Le Mans Series for ARC Bratislava,[32] Simpson returned to LMP1 competition by racing in the first four rounds of the 2019–20 FIA World Endurance Championship for Team LNT.[33] After the Ginetta LMP1 programme met its demise in early 2020,[34] Simpson didn't race for the rest of the year, only returning to racing in 2021 with a one-off appearance in the British GT Championship for CWS Engineering in GT4 Pro-Am.[35]
Having been a Ginetta factory driver since 2008, Simpson left the role in 2022 to become the brand's Head of Motorsport.[36] Simpson then made select appearances in the 2022 24H GT Series for CWS Engineering,[37] and the 2023 British GT Championship for Toro Verde GT in GT4 Pro-Am, in which he finished on the class podium three times.[38] Simpson then joined CMR for 2024, as he raced for them at the 12 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in GTX and select rounds of the European Endurance Prototype Cup in LMP3.[39] Amid a promotion to Ginetta Motorsport CEO in 2025,[40] Simpson made a number of cameos with CMR, most notably taking an overall podium in race one of the Spa round of the GT4 European Series.[41]
At the start of 2026, Simpson raced in the UAE races of the 2025–26 24H Series Middle East for CMR in GTX,[42] finishing on the podium in both races to secure the class title.[43] For the rest of the year, Simpson remained with the team to race in the GT2 European Series.[44]
Karting record
Karting career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Karting World Championship — Junior | 6th | |
| 1992 | Karting World Championship — Formula A | 26th | |
| 1993 | Elf Masters Karting — Karting Stars | 9th | |
| Karting World Championship — Formula Super A | 7th | ||
| 2000 | Lincolnshire Kart Racing Club — Formula Rotax | 1st | |
| 2001 | Super One Series — Rotax Max | 3rd | |
| 2002 | Super One Series — Rotax Max | 2nd | |
| 2003 | Rok Cup International Final — Senior | 1st | |
| 2004 | Super One Series — Rotax Max | 1st | |
| Karting European Championship — ICA | Team Simpson | NC | |
| 2006 | Super One Series — Rotax Max | 1st | |
| Kartmasters British GP — Rotax Senior | 3rd | ||
| RMC Grand Finals — DD2 | 2nd | ||
| 2007 | Super One Series — Rotax Max | 4th | |
| RMC Euro Trophy — Senior Max | Team Simpson Racing | 3rd | |
| Kartmasters British GP — Rotax Senior | 1st | ||
| Kartmasters British GP — Super Libre | 9th | ||
| RMC Grand Finals — Senior Max | 3rd | ||
| 2008 | Super One Series — KF2 | 2nd | |
| Karting European Championship — KF2 | Birel ART Racing | NC | |
| RMC Euro Trophy — Senior Max | Team Simpson Racing | NC | |
| Kartmasters British GP — KF2 | 1st | ||
| 2009 | Super One Series — Rotax Max | 1st | |
| Kartmasters British GP — Rotax Senior | 3rd | ||
| RMC Grand Finals — Senior Max | 5th | ||
| 2010 | Rotax Wintercup — Senior Max | 6th | |
| Kartmasters British GP — Rotax Senior | 3rd | ||
| 2011 | Super One Series — Formula Kart GP | 1st | |
| Sources:[45][46][47][48] | |||
Racing record
Racing career summary
| Season | Series | Team | Races | Wins | Poles | F/Laps | Podiums | Points | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Renault Clio Cup UK | Tim Sugden Motorsport | 15 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 185 | 11th |
| 2008 | Ginetta G50 Cup | Privateer | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 23rd |
| 2009 | GT4 European Cup | Team LNT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 18th |
| 2010 | Silverstone 24 Hours – Class 4 | Ginetta Cars Ltd. / Team LNT | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/a | 1st |
| 2011 | British GT Championship – GT3 | Stark Racing | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 | 25th |
| Silverstone 24 Hours – Class 2 | Rollcentre Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/a | DNF | |
| 2012 | British GT Championship – GT4 | Century Motorsport | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 14th |
| British GT Championship – GT3 | Optimum Motorsport | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 45 | 16th | |
| Team LNT | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||||
| Silverstone 24 Hours – Class 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/a | 3rd | ||
| Ginetta G50 Cup Italy | Nova Race | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 95 | 17th | |
| 24 Hours of Nürburgring – SP10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/a | 8th | ||
| Swedish GT – GTA | Ginetta Cars | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 28th | |
| Ginetta GT5 Challenge | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC† | ||
| 2013 | British GT Championship – GT3 | Team LNT | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| Ginetta GT Supercup – G50 | Privateer | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | NC† | |
| 24 Hours of Nürburgring – SP10 | Nova Race | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/a | 2nd | |
| International GT Open – GTS | Team LNT Ginetta | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC | |
| 2014 | Dubai 24 Hour – A6-Am | Team LNT | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/a | 9th |
| Challenge Endurance GT/Tourisme V de V | 7 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 36 | 22nd | ||
| British GT Championship – GT3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC | ||
| 2015 | European Le Mans Series – LMP3 | Team LNT | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 4th |
| British GT Championship – GT3 Pro-Am | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 54 | 8th | ||
| Challenge Endurance GT/Tourisme V de V | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | NC | ||
| Silverstone 24 Hours – Class 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/a | 2nd | ||
| Group C Racing Championship – Class 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 31 | 6th | ||
| 2016 | British GT Championship – GT3 Pro-Am | Tolman Motorsport | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 37 | 12th |
| Challenge Endurance PFV V de V | Team LNT | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 275 | 1st | |
| 2016–17 | Asian Le Mans Series – LMP3 | ARC Bratislava | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 61 | 3rd |
| 2017 | 24H Proto Series – P2 | Simpson Motorsport | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 24H Series – SP3-GT4 | CWS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | NC | |
| Bathurst 12 Hour – C | RA Motorsports - Ginetta | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/a | DNF | |
| British GT Championship – GT4 Pro-Am | Century Motorsport | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 71 | 9th | |
| V de V Endurance Series – PFV | Pegasus Racing Simpson Motorsport |
5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 117.5 | 3rd | |
| 2018 | 24H Proto Series Continents – P2 | Simpson Motorsport | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 36 | 2nd |
| 24H Proto Series European Championship – P2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 1st | ||
| Bathurst 12 Hour – C | Ginetta Australia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | N/a | 2nd | |
| 24H GT Series European Championship – GT4 | Endurance Team Romania | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | NC | |
| 2018–19 | FIA World Endurance Championship – LMP1 | CEFC TRSM Racing | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 38th |
| Asian Le Mans Series – LMP3 | ARC Bratislava | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14th | |
| 2019–20 | FIA World Endurance Championship – LMP1 | Team LNT | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12.5 | 19th |
| 2021 | British GT Championship – GT4 Pro-Am | CWS Engineering | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | NC |
| 2022 | 24H GT Series – GT4 | CWS Engineering | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 22 | NC |
| 2023 | British GT Championship – GT4 Pro-Am | Toro Verde GT | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 60 | 7th |
| 2024 | 24H Series – GTX | CMR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 9th |
| European Endurance Prototype Cup – LMP3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | 51st | ||
| 2025 | Middle East Trophy – GT4 | CMR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | NC |
| GT4 European Series – Silver | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 16th | ||
| French GT4 Cup – GTA | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | NC | ||
| 2025–26 | 24H Series Middle East – GTX | CMR | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 88 | 1st |
| 2026 | GT2 European Series – Pro-Am | CMR | |||||||
| Sources:[49][45][50][51] | |||||||||
† As Simpson was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.
Complete GT4 European Cup results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Complete British GT Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position in class) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap in class)
† As Simpson was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.
Complete European Le Mans Series results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Entrant | Class | Chassis | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Rank | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Team LNT | LMP3 | Ginetta-Juno LMP3 | Nissan VK50 5.0L V8 | SIL 2 |
IMO Ret |
RBR |
LEC Ret |
EST 1 |
4th | 43 |
Complete Asian Le Mans Series results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)
| Year | Team | Class | Car | Engine | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Pos. | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016-17 | ARC Bratislava | LMP3 | Ginetta-Juno P3-15 | Nissan VK56DE 5.0L V8 | ZHU 4 |
FUJ 2 |
CHA 1 |
SEP 7 |
3rd | 61 |
| 2018–19 | ARC Bratislava | LMP3 | Ginetta-Juno P3-15 | Nissan VK50VE 5.0 L V8 | SHA |
FUJ |
CHA |
SEP 9 |
14th | 2 |
Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results
(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)
Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results
| Year | Team | Co-Drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class Pos. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 |  CEFC TRSM Racing |
Charlie Robertson Léo Roussel |
Ginetta G60-LT-P1 | LMP1 | 283 | 41st | 5th |