Freek Koekkoek, 1-5-2006

5.3K GT3 Driver for Maniti Racing

After rumours began circulating in 2014 about a young Dutch driver named Max Verstappen—who was expected to become a future star—Freek started following his fellow countryman and quickly developed an interest in Formula 1. From that point on, he began watching every F1 race and hasn’t missed a single one since. That same year, Freek played his first racing game, F1 2014, using a PlayStation 3 controller.

Freek remained dedicated to the F1 games over the years, consistently ranking within the top 6% on every track in the F1 21 time trials—widely considered the peak of the franchise. After F1 21, he purchased his first GT3 racing title, Assetto Corsa Competizione, and found that he enjoyed it even more than the F1 series.

His passion continued to grow, leading him to invest in professional sim racing equipment. He began following the DTM and GT World Challenge, and eventually visited Circuit Zandvoort to see the cars up close. That experience confirmed what he had already begun to feel—he wanted to take sim racing more seriously. He started competing on LowFuelMotorsport to find real competition. However, one thought lingered in his mind: all top-level real-world racers, including Max Verstappen, were using iRacing—the most realistic and highly regarded sim racing platform.

Although initially hesitant about the cost, in December 2023, Freek made the leap and joined iRacing—a decision he now considers one of his best. One year later, Freek has claimed several wins and podiums, frequently competing in the top split of the IMSA and GT3 series. He races at the highest level on iRacing, continuously learning from the best. He joined his first major iRacing team, Absolute Motorsport Acelith, and completed his first two iRacing special events with them—finishing P5 at both the Daytona 24H and Bathurst 12H. Freek also achieved his first league racing success under their banner, finishing second in the Pro-Am Championship of Season 9 of the ARL GT3 Trophy—earning his first sim racing trophy.

Despite his successes, Freek was presented with an opportunity to join Maniti Racing through their driver shootout—and he earned his spot on the team.

But becoming a Maniti Racing driver is just the beginning of Freek’s journey to reach his full potential. Now, with a fresh team and renewed motivation, he’s committed to giving everything to keep improving and compete at the absolute highest level in iRacing. The journey continues with the Indy 6HR, where Freek will represent Maniti Racing, followed by his entry into the most competitive league he has ever participated in: the SRR Sportscar Championship.

Freek hopes to achieve his ultimate goal with Maniti Racing—winning an iRacing Special Event in the highest split he can possibly reach.