Formula Woman Shenannigans...
30 September 2005, 08:47 AM
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Formula Woman Shenannigans...
My wife Karen is currently waiting to do her next assessment round for Formula Woman... 
She's previously driven on track at Mallory Park, Llandow, Nurburgring, Hullavington and Keevil before signing up for the Formula Woman (FW) stuff.
She decided to join their club for some proper tuition. She's now driven Castle Combe, Donnington, Oulton, and Cadwell in Caterhams.
We even hired Tim Harvey for a day for personal tuition in our own car(s) at Oulton too.
Now FW have come up with this doozy:
"We will also be offering the opportunity for 64 of the 100 finalists to undertake a race at Pembrey race circuit in Wales. This will consist of a test day on Friday 18th November followed by qualifying and race on either the 19th or the 20th. There will be four races in our Caterhams and the winner of each race will automatically qualify for a place in the last 16 and will not have to go through the final elimination process in June of next year (8 race Championship is to be confirmed for August/Sept 2006) This will mean that 96 women will attend the eliminations camp in June and over the three day period will be reduced to 12 to join the 4 who have qualified to make our full 16 car grid
The race at Pembrey will be subsidised by Formula Woman leaving a cost of £750 plus VAT to be paid by the drivers. There are 64 places and after the 100 have been selected these places will be offered on a first come first served basis. Many of the 100 will secure their entry via sponsorship and with this in mind we suggest you test the water with potential sponsors now should you get through to the last 100."
From what I can tell, this will be a FW only event, as it's beyond the normal end of the season and there's nothing on the Pembrey calendar. Now I might have been able to organise one or more sponsors to foot the bill for this, but if it's not a normal race weekend then how are the sponsors going to benefit?
Where will be the spectators and media coverage?
Karen's going to email them for more info on this proposed event so we can work something out, but frankly I think they're living in "Cloud Cuckoo Land".
Surely part of the whole original ethos of FW was that it would help those women who had talent but couldn't actually AFFORD to go racing initially?!!!?
On top of this, the final assessment will not take place until June 2006!
Karen was hoping to go racing next year. Our plan now is to try and get into the MR2 challenge anyway and when June rolls around she can try and qualify anyway, but it's becoming a bit of a joke and lots of women have spent a great deal of money on this...
Sorry, just spouting off - Bit miffed and left hanging without being able to plan effectively.
Squizz.
She's previously driven on track at Mallory Park, Llandow, Nurburgring, Hullavington and Keevil before signing up for the Formula Woman (FW) stuff.
She decided to join their club for some proper tuition. She's now driven Castle Combe, Donnington, Oulton, and Cadwell in Caterhams.
We even hired Tim Harvey for a day for personal tuition in our own car(s) at Oulton too.
Now FW have come up with this doozy:
"We will also be offering the opportunity for 64 of the 100 finalists to undertake a race at Pembrey race circuit in Wales. This will consist of a test day on Friday 18th November followed by qualifying and race on either the 19th or the 20th. There will be four races in our Caterhams and the winner of each race will automatically qualify for a place in the last 16 and will not have to go through the final elimination process in June of next year (8 race Championship is to be confirmed for August/Sept 2006) This will mean that 96 women will attend the eliminations camp in June and over the three day period will be reduced to 12 to join the 4 who have qualified to make our full 16 car grid
The race at Pembrey will be subsidised by Formula Woman leaving a cost of £750 plus VAT to be paid by the drivers. There are 64 places and after the 100 have been selected these places will be offered on a first come first served basis. Many of the 100 will secure their entry via sponsorship and with this in mind we suggest you test the water with potential sponsors now should you get through to the last 100."
From what I can tell, this will be a FW only event, as it's beyond the normal end of the season and there's nothing on the Pembrey calendar. Now I might have been able to organise one or more sponsors to foot the bill for this, but if it's not a normal race weekend then how are the sponsors going to benefit?
Where will be the spectators and media coverage?
Karen's going to email them for more info on this proposed event so we can work something out, but frankly I think they're living in "Cloud Cuckoo Land".
Surely part of the whole original ethos of FW was that it would help those women who had talent but couldn't actually AFFORD to go racing initially?!!!?
On top of this, the final assessment will not take place until June 2006!
Karen was hoping to go racing next year. Our plan now is to try and get into the MR2 challenge anyway and when June rolls around she can try and qualify anyway, but it's becoming a bit of a joke and lots of women have spent a great deal of money on this...
Sorry, just spouting off - Bit miffed and left hanging without being able to plan effectively.
Squizz.
30 September 2005, 09:44 AM
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I entered too and am beginning to think this is a scam of some sort to get money out of us. Perhaps I should just give up and enjoy going to the Ring instead. By the looks of it, it's much cheaper!
30 September 2005, 09:45 AM
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Oh yeah - One other thing...
They've got no major motor manufacturer sponsorship at the moment. Mazda didn't feel inclined to renew the contract.
That meant all my jap car related sponsorship ideas and magazine features are currently up **** creek.
I'm thinking this is why they need to charge so much for these events!
They've got no major motor manufacturer sponsorship at the moment. Mazda didn't feel inclined to renew the contract.
That meant all my jap car related sponsorship ideas and magazine features are currently up **** creek.
I'm thinking this is why they need to charge so much for these events!
30 September 2005, 09:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Clarebabes
I entered too and am beginning to think this is a scam of some sort to get money out of us. Perhaps I should just give up and enjoy going to the Ring instead. By the looks of it, it's much cheaper!
Yeah, it's becoming a bit of a joke. At least Karen's had some decent tutoring and experience on different circuits. So that's not wasted. Hopefully she'll qualify in the top 100 and take her ARDS test in November.
30 September 2005, 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by davyboy
Clare didn't need tuition, I taught her every thing I know.
Oh dear..............
Oh dear..............
Shame the assessments are at Dunsfold rather than Cadwell Park. That mini-nurburgring feel might have helped, eh?
30 September 2005, 10:34 AM
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Just thought.
Last time, they whittled the drivers down to the final 16 and some reserves and then put them through the ARDS test. I assume that the drivers didn't have to pay a penny for that lot.
This time at the 100 finalist stage, they want them all to pay £250 + vat to get their license. I'm left assuming that they've done a mass booking deal with Thruxton and can thus skim a good deal of that cash for themselves.
Again, it may price a few of the entrants out of proceeding further.
Last time, they whittled the drivers down to the final 16 and some reserves and then put them through the ARDS test. I assume that the drivers didn't have to pay a penny for that lot.
This time at the 100 finalist stage, they want them all to pay £250 + vat to get their license. I'm left assuming that they've done a mass booking deal with Thruxton and can thus skim a good deal of that cash for themselves.
Again, it may price a few of the entrants out of proceeding further.
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