You may have noticed it’s start of the race season again, we’ve had loads of track racing and the beginning of what looks like a great road season too whilst the DHers have just put in their first runs on the world scene.

So we thought it would make a nice change to fill you in on an alternative race report, from one of the original SheCycles.com members and regular forum goer – Pootle.

Pootle on home turf at a Merida Marathon ride

Not only does she ride her bike more than seems humanly possible but it seems she likes a spot of adrenaline to keep her between mountain bike rides and eating cake with friends (a little birdy told us she like cake!). Anyway she’s hooked on the new and amazing Formula Woman Racing Championships, she’s traded her bike in for the chance to race a Caterham 7 car!

Here’s what Pootle has planned for the coming months

Earlier this year I entered the annual Formula Woman competition, which aims to find 16 of the best female drivers in the UK (who have not previously held a race licence) to race in the prestigious Championship. Formula Woman is a unique concept designed to attract and assist more women to enter the previously male-dominated arena of motor sport and is the only female motor racing Championship in the country. Over the past 3 years there have been over 15,000 entrants to the Formula Woman competition and television programmes on ITV 1, Channel 4 and Sky Motors TV.

I have been selected from over 1300 women to take part in an assessment at the end of April, and prior to that, I have been taking part in training days to capitalise on this once in a lifetime opportunity, my training days have been at Bedford Autodrome and Silverstone. The name Pootle that I have, at mountain bike races, certainly goes out of the window whilst driving on the circuit.

Formula Woman was founded in 2004 and since then has run two successful Championships for female drivers, broken the world record for the most women to compete in a motor racing event and enabled over 100 women to take their ARDS racing licence. This has not been an easy task for Formula Woman as motor racing is historically a man’s sport and I relish the idea of being part of this pioneering Championship.

500 women including myself have made it through the preliminary rounds and have been chosen to attend an assessment in April. If I am successful in April I will join the final 100 who will attend an elimination round in June, where the lucky 16 will be chosen to race in the 2007 Novice Championship. The top three drivers will obtain a free season in the Novice Championship and the other 13 will be required to find sponsorship. I am determined that I will make it into the final 16 and I am confident that I can secure one of the three scholarship drives available. I have already proven that I have good car control and speed on track during training sessions.

On the tarmac in a Caterham 7

The assessments will mainly be based on my driving skills but also cover additional aspects such as fitness, motor sport knowledge and the ability to generate media coverage. All of these aspects are crucial to being a successful racing driver and securing the sponsorship required to be successful.The Formula Woman Novice Championship will run over 8 races throughout the summer of 2007, at circuits throughout the UK including Brands Hatch, Snetterton and home of the British Grand prix – Silverstone. If I get through to the final 16 I will be racing a 1.6 K series Rover engined Caterham 7.

Good luck Pootle and hope to see you out on the trails again soon! Ed

Visit the Formula Woman website at www.formulawoman.com