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How the F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE Race Academy is helping young female karters progress to the British Indoor Karting Championship
Karting is often the first step in any driver’s journey and across the UK, young girls have had the chance to explore and nurture their passion for racing through the F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE Days and Race Academy.
Since last year, a series of taster days at 10 TeamSport locations have given girls aged eight to 12 years old a chance to experience karting, often for the first time, in a welcoming and supportive environment.
Operated by TeamSport and Motorsport UK, the aim of these days is to help the girls feel confident in a kart. Utilising expert karting instructors, they identified those who showed promise and talent to continue in karting by inviting them to join the F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE Race Academy.
The series of five coached sessions built on the foundations made during the taster day by equipping them with a variety of skills. From learning the art of overtaking and defending to how to manage rolling starts, the girls have been prepared thoroughly with all the know-how needed to make the step into competing in junior levels of indoor karting. 2023’s pilot programme across six TeamSport venues saw great success, with a 265% increase in females participating in the British Indoor Karting Championship.
We spoke to some of the parents and young girls taking part in one of the Race Academy’s to hear more about the benefits of the experience and why they’d recommend it to others.
“For young children, particularly girls, it’s really good for them because they get an opportunity to drive in an environment where it’s comfortable,” says Debbie, mother to nine-year-old Heidi, who discovered the programme through TeamSport at her daughter’s birthday party.
Leon, father to eight-year-old Evie, adds: “It’s great. She’s grown massively in confidence. The big difference has been all girls of the same age, same kart and her confidence has gone through the roof. Any chance she gets to overtake, she's going for it and she didn't do that before the girls-only F1 ACADEMY sessions.
“It's an opportunity for more of a level playing field, which she’s only started. She's very little and she's a lot less intimidated (…) She’s made some great friends already and having similar ages, similar interest and doing well in the first one made a big difference to her going out and making those friends as well because she wasn’t shy.”
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One favourite part stood out to all the girls we spoke to – the chance to make friends with and bond with other young girls in a supportive environment, alongside pushing each other to be the best they can be.
And to any parents who might be considering taking their child to the next batch of taster days during the October half term, Leon says: “Absolutely! Anyone who gets the opportunity should do it.”
“Just come and try it,” adds Debbie. “It’s certainly been something that’s built our girl’s confidence and it’s something that she’ll definitely continue to do.”
WHAT ARE THE NEXT STEPS?
After completing the F1 ACADEMY DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE Race Academy, the pathway behind the wheel continues with the opportunity to qualify for the British Indoor Karting Championships, a more accessible and affordable start in motorsport.
Split into two categories for under 16s, children aged eight to 12 compete in the Cadet class, if their 12th birthday falls after 1st June 2024. Meanwhile, those aged 12-16 participate in the junior class.
The window to qualify for the BIKC finals runs from June 1st to August 31st, 2024. After signing up, drivers need to set three lap times on three separate occasions - but you can only set qualifying lap times at the track you selected when you registered for BIKC. Don’t worry if your first times aren’t the best, you can set as many laps as you want to get your personal best!
When qualifying closes, the BIKC automatically takes the average from your three quickest lap times across all your visits to set your entry time. The 20 fastest lap times from Cadets (and 24 each for other categories) at each qualifying track will move on to compete in the local final.
Local finals will take place on 11th September for Cadets and Juniors, with the top five karters in Cadets and top six from the over 12’s categories progressing to October’s Regional Finals, where they’ll compete for a spot in the National Final on 9th November.
DISCOVER YOUR DRIVE days are being held at 10 TeamSport locations across the UK during the October half-term. You can find more details and how to sign up on our Events & Opportunities page.