Racing success seems to run in the family. Natasha Firman, 27-year-old sister of the former Formula One driver Ralph and daughter of the man who started the Van Diemen race car company in Norfolk, dominated the two opening rounds of the Formula Woman championship — in which 16 women compete in identical Mazda RX-8 sports cars — last weekend.
The competitors are amateurs and come from all walks of life (they include a police officer, an RAF pilot, a make-up artist and a student). About 2,400 hopefuls were assessed to draw up a shortlist of just 50. Then the final 16 racers were chosen through a rigorous selection process, which, apart from track driving, included fitness, personality and presentation skills.
The lead-up to the first event, and the nine races of the championship, will be shown in a series of programmes on ITV1’s new Speed Sunday slot, starting on July 11.
Closest to Natasha Firman, who won the first two races at Oulton Park, was Margo Gardner, a personal fitness trainer from Stirling. The next championship rounds are in Scotland, at Knockhill next Sunday, June 27, with the final taking place at Brands Hatch on July 25.