Welcome back to our newest blog edition of Behind The Brand!
This week we are proud to introduce a truly inspirational individual who has cultivated his own brand around himself at the bright, young age of 17, Hunter Yeany.
Hunter has created a buzz and a name for himself in both the Formula 3 and Formula 4 series; He dominated the Formula 4 U.S. Championship in 2020, taking 7 wins and 14 podiums and 6 fastest race laps over the course of the season on his way to becoming the youngest ever winner of a Formula 4 series.
That 2020 win set the record for Hunter becoming the youngest Formula 4 competitor in history at 15 years old. On top of that, he also is the youngest racer to win the United States Championship in Formula 4 racing.
As an added bonus to this edition of Behind The Brand, we are super excited to share a new partnership Hunter announced just at the tail end of 2022 as published online by FIAF3 and Carlin: He will be driving with Carlin Racing in the 2023 FIA Formula 3 Championship!
This is a huge accomplishment for Hunter, who said of joining Carlin: “I’m really excited to announce that I will be racing with Carlin in Formula 3 next year. Carlin was the first team I ever tested with in Europe, so it feels like a bit of a coming home! Let’s rock it in 2023!”'
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How is that for an intro?
How does one accomplish those record feats at such an early age you might ask? In this blog, we'll cover that, as well as highlight all that Hunter and his team have achieved and showcase why we at ITW support and love working with him!
Hunter has always had an avid interest and passion for cars for as long as he can remember. One of his first memories he has about cars was when he first started driving a professional go-kart at 9 years old. As we got to talk with Hunter, we were curious where his desire to become a professional driver stemmed from, to which he replied:
'My main inspiration is my dad because of his 'never quit' attitude. I think he's instilled a lot of that into me over the years that quitting is not an option'.
Side note, Hunter's dad being a former Navy SEAL may have something to do with this upbringing ideology.
Recently, Hunter launched a new apparel campaign in support of the Navy SEAL Foundation called 'Ambition is Forever', which is not only his mantra on and off the track, but also the spark behind the message he shares with both his community and the veteran community.
Hunter's full manifesto: 'Anyone who's ever set their sights on the summit knows the apex is relevant to the ascent. And while we can't always control where we begin, we can fight like hell to influence where we end up. Advantage, though significant, is finite - but ambition is forever'.
Hunter explained, “The story behind the 'Ambition Is Forever' t-shirt is to get people to chase their goals and not to give up on themselves or their dream just because someone says it's too big or broad - and I want to encourage them that they can do it”.
Working hand-in-hand with Hunter's team to produce the embodiment of values that he holds near and dear to him, while also supporting the Navy SEAL Foundation, makes us beyond proud to produce and support!
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Let's get back on track - literally, with our one-on-one interview with Hunter.
Even when times get tough, which we're sure they do for a 17-year-old professional Formula 3 racer, Hunter continues to work hard and push through whatever life throws at him. We asked Hunter about the challenges he has faced during his racing career. He stated that “I think racing against older drivers with more experience and who are more physically developed is one. The other one is having to live overseas during the race season away from your family and friends”.
It is truly inspiring to see the perseverance and dedication Hunter has for his career, working through so much while still managing to enjoy day to day life as 17 year old.
At Hunter's age the majority of us probably didn't know what we wanted to make of our lives, but what we did know is that we wanted to have fun! Hunter is a great example and role model of being young and having fun, but also balancing working toward life goals he wants to achieve.
As our younger generations continue to grow up and learn more about the world, their places in it, striving for their dreams, and taking the lessons learned in tow, it’s amazing to see Hunter being that prime example advocate for those who work hard to accomplish their goals and achieving that hard-to-find balance.
Hunter has some wise words for those even younger than he:
“I would tell the younger generation to not give up on their dreams and to push as hard as they can like there's no tomorrow to achieve it.”
We couldn't agree more.
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Off the track, Hunter spends times with his friends and family.
“Their help allows me to focus most of my energy on becoming the best driver I can be. I also spend a lot of time away from my friends and family which is extremely hard. So when I'm home I make sure to make the most of it.”
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We asked Hunter what his other ambitions are and the other projects he's working on are, to which he responded: “In 5 years time I see myself in Formula 1. I'm not sure which team, but any of them work for me. For my brand I'd love to see it become very popular and reach people that don't even know who I am.”
“I was [also] recently picked up by Wilhelmina models. I'm looking forward to working with them and learning from them. I think that it's not only a great exposure but a great opportunity to learn from one of the best modeling agencies in the world.
There are a lot of unexpected opportunities and responsibilities that come along with being a driver. I am really excited about a few of those things, including working with the Navy SEAL Foundation and Wilhelmina models. Those are two totally new experiences for me but I'm excited about them and trying to keep an open mind and do the best job I can do no matter what I'm doing”
We can't wait to see Hunter's next move - Always pushing the limits of what's possible yet balancing his achievements with the humility we love from our role models.
Follow Hunter on his journey!:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hunteryeany/
Website: https://www.hunteryeany.com/
F3: https://www.fiaformula3.com/Drivers/1400/Hunter-Yeany
Twitter: https://twitter.com/hunteryeany?lang=en
