The final camp of the Junior Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme gets underway tomorrow at Maranello. This is the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission’s initiative aimed at the very youngest girls who are interested in eventually becoming professional racing drivers. It features kart racers between the ages of 11 and 13.
Test at Maranello. The four finalists are, in alphabetical order, the Swiss Chiara Bättig and Portugal’s Maria Germano Neto, both 11 years old, Mexico’s Ivanna Richards and Sweden’s Milla Sjöstrand, both 13. Tomorrow, for the first day in Maranello, they will tackle physical tests away from the race track, as well as theory lessons, aptitude tests and some communications work.
At Tony Kart and Franciacorta. Then the girls will visit one of the FDA’s scouting partners, Tony Kart, a real authority when it comes to karting. The girls will have a seat fitting and will prepare to go out on track at the Franciacorta Karting Track in Lombardy. “This year I am delighted that we and Ferrari have been able to provide this opportunity to our youngest racers,” said Michèle Mouton, President of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission. “Girls on Track – Rising Stars is about finding and nurturing talent and to be able to help these young drivers at such an early age further develop their skills in karting, the real grassroots level of the sport, is key to their future progression.” “Karting is the preferred starting point for the youngest kids up to the age when they begin to think about becoming racing drivers. That’s why the Ferrari Driver Academy immediately forged a link with Tony Kart as its expert partner,” said Marco Matassa, Head of Ferrari Driver Academy. “This category of motorsport plays a key role in developing the ability of the youngest children and that’s why we welcome the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission’s idea of opening a Junior section of its Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme. We will host a camp for the four finalists, which will give them a chance to show what they can do and then we can see if one of them deserves support from the FDA in realising their dream of becoming a racing driver.”