The FIA’s two year Erasmus+ supported programme - which has been created to encourage more young women between 13 and 18 years of age to try motor sport - is based on a cost-effective, arrive and drive karting slalom format whereby a small tarmac area in a central urban location is set up with marker cones to create a slalom course. This year, the karting slalom events were hosted in eight European partner countries, with the United Kingdom also joining the programme. The three fastest girls from each country’s events will now pit themselves against each other at the European Final for the chance to be among the six drivers selected for a European Team that will attend FIA Driver Training Camps, where they will be supported by the FIA through a sporting and educational programme. In many of the countries, the performance level of the young women was so high that national finals also had to be hosted to determine who would represent their country at the Le Mans final.

“We have had a very high level of interest from young women, many of whom would also now encourage girl friends to give karting a try; this is really great news,” said Michèle Mouton, President of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission. “I never imagined that individual countries would need to hold national finals because the standard was so high. Many of these young women are completely new to the sport but are now also in training, with the support of their ASN, to be at the highest possible level at Le Mans next year. This is incredibly encouraging as far as our objective is concerned. It is so important we encourage more females into the base of the sport and the Girls on Track Karting Challenge has potentially unearthed new talent. Everyone involved in the project is incredibly excited by the prospect of a really competitive final next year.”

The 27 finalists, representing Belgium, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Sweden and the United Kingdom are:

Belgium

Alyah Van Laer

Ine Vanderplasschen

Lyssia Baudet

Finland

Milja Kukkonen

Nora Farigu

Vilma Luukkonen

Germany

Gina Trunk

Lina Uck

Tammy Schönborn

Netherlands

Lisette Grinwis

Mijntje Koerts

Nina Pothof

Poland

Joanna Piwowarek

Michalina Sabaj

Natalia Lelek

Portugal

Carolina Trindade

Inês Moreira

Matilde Fidalgo

Slovakia

Barbora Bauerova

Bianka Sivosova

Stella Khurova

Sweden

Emma Löfquist

Anna Glaerum

Maja Hallén Fellenius 

United Kingdom

Louisa Bell

Jemima Hepworth

Ellie-Anna McFall

The stakes are further raised at the European Final; as part of the CIK’s cooperation with the Women in Motorsport Commission, one of the Girls on Track Karting Challenge finalists could also contest the 2019 Karting Academy Trophy, helping to start a potential career in motor sport.

Learn more : https://www.fia.com/thegirlsontrack 

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