My wife got a call last night for her to attend Donington this monday for trials for Formula Women.
If you don't know it someone setting up an all women race team in the UK, something also to do with Mazda (ouch:D) She is very excited and wanted me to post it.
Is there anyone else on here going?
No sarky comments about "she" drivers:D as she has proved in her car (SLK) at some Surrey meets she can drive well, and even out paced some scooby owners:), i think the last person was paul (fulham71) who was quietly amazed.

Looking forward for Monday now

Adam

Wonder if they would let me take the scoob on track?:confused:

[Edited by rb5037 - 6/27/2003 5:06:50 PM]

Formula Women is a Mazda sponsored race series for women as the tile suggests. They are all going to be amatuer drivers competing for the first time on the track in identical MX-5's. You could enter yourself or get nominated a little while back, I guess she has got through the first picks and is onto the judging stages.

[Edited by Reffro - 6/27/2003 12:09:07 PM]

They will use RX-8's.

It's going to be televised a bit like the Grand Prix Driver series I believe

Go Girl :)

(Just don't tell my wife about the series!!)

Yep its the RX-8 I dragged up the press release:-

Mazda is teaming up with the organisers of the UK’s first-ever all-women race series to promote the launch of its revolutionary new sports car, the high-performance Mazda RX-8.

Formula Woman is a high-profile event which will give 16 female drivers the opportunity to race Mazda’s all-new rotary-engined sports car in a unique one-marque series during 2004.

The selection process for the applicants will take place during 2003 and will involve driving skills being put to the test in Mazda MX-5 sports cars before the final 16 drivers are chosen to drive Mazda RX-8 models in the televised championship series.

James Muir, Managing Director of Mazda Motors UK Ltd, said: "We are delighted to be involved as the manufacturer sponsor for Formula Woman. It’s an extremely exciting and innovative project which we believe will really capture the imagination of the public – just as we feel sure that the Mazda RX-8 will cause a real stir when it goes on sale in the summer.

"With its rotary engine and unique freestyle door system, the Mazda RX-8 is a truly revolutionary sports car. Equally, Formula Woman is a totally new and unique concept, so it was a natural decision for Mazda to participate as manufacturer sponsor."

Mazda's involvement will involve the provision of cars for training, pre-selection and for the race series itself. The race cars will be standard road cars, converted to meet MSA safety requirements for racing.

James Muir added: "While these are road cars, the Mazda RX-8 provides the perfect platform for fast and exciting racing. With a 240 bhp rotary engine, perfect 50:50 weight distribution and a 6 speed manual gearbox, the Mazda RX-8 is a true sports car. As a result, I’m sure that the drivers will have a truly thrilling experience in what will be known as the Formula Woman Mazda RX-8 Championship.

"We will also be providing Mazda MX-5 cars for the initial stages of driver training and pre-selection. The Mazda MX-5 is the world's best selling roadster and will provide the perfect means for the potential contestants to get the feel of a performance car on the track and give the judges the opportunity to assess their driving skills.

"The lucky 16 drivers who are successful in winning their way through to the race series proper will also get the opportunity to drive a Mazda MX-5 road car for the duration of the series itself."

Mazda is a natural brand to be associated with this project, for the Japanese manufacturer has a great sporting heritage and Mazda cars have always been as popular with women drivers as they are with male motorists. Over half of the sales of the Mazda MX-5 sports car in the UK are to women.

The highlight of the company’s sporting record came in 1991 when Mazda became the only Japanese brand ever to win the prestigious Le Mans 24 Hour Endurance Race and the only manufacturer to win with a rotary-engined car.

Mazda also holds a significant entry in the Guinness Book of Records, for the Mazda MX-5 is the world’s best selling sports car, with well over 600,000 produced. In the UK in 2002 Mazda sold an all-time record number of more than 7,100 MX-5 sports cars.

James Muir concluded: "Formula Woman represents a terrific opportunity for Mazda to reiterate its sporting pedigree and to showcase the MX-5 and the astonishing new RX-8 on national prime-time television."

my mates girl friend has been accepted for the trial, I reckon shes got a damn good chance too - has driven a lot on track and her boy friend is a VERY good driver hence has given her lots of instruction................cant wait to see how she gets on :D

Im not having a go at women par se with this, because "apparently" ;) their are some out there who can drive really well.

what bothers me is the fact that its women only.

Stay with me :)

The idea is to create Britains best female racing driver. A category that means that they wont be put up against other good UK drivers. Its like saying "Well you're women so we'll give you a headstart" Its condecending in the extreme! What Id prefer to see is the best driver, regardless of sex out there winning. If its a women so be it. Every weekend there are women out there beating men at Racing cars. Its meant to be a meritocracy,its racing! If this series is to have any positive effect it needs to be the best vs the best.


The nagging feeling will always be that this is just a stunt, to get pretty girls driving around regardless of any actual driving talent! If they select from thousands completely at randomn, whose to say they havent missed out on a fantastic driver!

I didnt like Grand Prix Driver and I aint going to like this either!

RANT OVER!

I reckon it’s a good idea

Mazda get some good publicity and loads of test drivers for the RX8 and MX5 from people who might not have ever considered even looking at one (don’t forget some women are actually allowed to chose their own car – shocking isn’t it).

And

It might get some women into racing (in any capacity driving, engineering whatever). The point about it being patronising is true,

But

Driving on a track or a road is a learned skill, these women may well gain more benefit from being kept clear of macho males when they first start racing (lets face it a bunch of geezers would only hold tem back :D), as they get better then, yea they should race against anyone.

I fancy a go myself it sounds like fun (but I’m not a girl – I think)

Good luck to all :)

Yea be a Grand Prix driver was rubbish though :D

are they going to be clad in race suits ?

any picturs ?

Will take the camera with me tomorrow to take some snaps for you boys that are interested. oh er missus!!;)