Teenager to race in Formula One feeder series

A teenager preparing to race in a Formula One motorsport supportseries said it provides a "massive stage" for female drivers.

Rachel Robertson, 18, will compete in the F1 Academy, a seven-stop race series exclusively for female drivers, which begins in Shanghai on 13 March.

Robertson, who studies Motorsport Engineering at Wiltshire College and only took up karting again at the age of 14, five years after her previous centre closed, is to drive the Puma car for the Hitech GP team.

She said racing provides the ultimate "escape" and even as a rookie driver she wants to "compete at the top end of the field".

"I always had that love for motorsport. Whenever I was asked at school, 'what do you want to be when you grow up?' I always said F1 driver.

"It's that sense of escape. It is literally just you, the machine underneath you, and your feet and hands controlling it," she added.

The series is due to run alongside the regular Formula One calendar, with the academy races taking place on the same weekends as the main grand prix.

Robertson, who has previous racing experience in the British Kart Championships and the Radical Racing sports car championship, said the F1 Academy was a real step up.

"It brings a massive stage to women in motorsport. It really puts us out there with all the publicity it brings."

Robertson's father Colin said Rachel's participation was "a real pinch me moment".

"It's amazing news, a culmination of a lot of hard work in a short space of time.

"Hopefully the F1 Academy will be the start of something even more special," he added.

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