STUDENT Rachel Robertson has set her sights on winning a place in the career-defining Women’s Formula 1 Academy after impressing on the track all summer. 

The 18-year-old, who is studying Level 3 Motorsport Engineering at Wiltshire College & University Centre’s Chippenham campus, is on course to finish third in her debut season in the Radical Cup UK. She has earned two podium finishes against vastly more experienced drivers driving a Radical SR3 XXR – a British-made, 232bhp, 145mph sports car specifically designed for racing. 

The reputation she has carved brought her to the attention of the Eric Low Foundation, which connects young sportspeople with mentors. Her mentor Sean McGrath is a neighbour of Match of the Day presenter Gabby Logan and her husband Kenny. “Sean introduced me to Gabby and Kenny and they were really interested in my story and wanted to help,” said Rachel. 

“Just after we met, Gabby had been asked to pick an upcoming sportswoman to receive a £15,000 grant from a fundraising event, Gabby’s Grant, and I was honoured she picked me.” 

It covered the costs of her to take part in two track days driving a Formula 4 race car. 

“I did the first one at Pembrey Circuit in South Wales with Chris Dittman Racing,” she said. “It was my first day ever in a Formula 4 car, and it could not have gone really any better. I finished the day within a few tenths of a second of their top driver, who is competing in the British F4 Championship and has multiple podiums in a very competitive field.” 

For the second day she was flown to Cremona in Italy for another Formula 4 drive. “It was all new to me, I’ve never been there before and again, honestly, it couldn’t have gone any better,” she said. 

Sandwiched between that was a day at Silverstone when she was invited to test in a racing simulator by the Hitech racing team, which competes at every level from kart racing to Formula 2 and has a female F1 Academy team. 

“It went really well and I think I impressed them,” said Rachel, who is from Edinburgh. “They’ve got a few drivers on their radar that they want to test and I’ve come really late to the party. A lot of the girls I know in different series have been in touch with Formula 1 Academy since January so I’m keeping my fingers crossed I get the call. 

“The academy is a stepping stone for females in motorsport to give them that kind of leg up, give them that opportunity to put themselves out there.” 

Testing for the academy, which competes across seven countries in three continents as part of the Formula 1 platform, is in September but the same month she has the final round of the Radical Cup at Donnington. 

She has been within a hair’s breadth of the top three places in each of the five previous rounds, racing against drivers who know the tracks well. “I think where I’m at now from the first round, the mileage I’ve done and the experience I’ve gotten, it only helps me,” she said. 

“I’m proud of how I’ve adapted from kart racing. We only started testing in the car in February and the first race was in March so it’s really been condensed. So from the time I’ve had in the car, I’m happy. I’ve managed to not sink, I’ve swam through it.” 

There have been some testing moments, including a practice session crash at Silverstone on only her second lap when she ran over an oil patch covered in concrete dust. 

“It just spat me into the wall and caused quite a bit of damage, they had to get a whole new chassis so I could compete the next day,” she said. “I didn’t think it would, but it affected my confidence in the car a little bit. 

“I just spent the races getting back that confidence up, which was good.” 

Despite her summer of excitement she is looking forward to resuming her studies. “I’m really looking forward to getting back to college,” she said. “If I do get into the F1 academy there will be a lot of work to do going to the rounds but a lot of the girls who are competing are similar ages to me and I know they still go to school or college while doing it. I think it’s totally doable and it would be really cool.” 

Follow Rachel’s racing journey

Despite only starting her racing career in the second half of 2022, Rachel is already one of the most exciting talents in British motorsport.

After being selected for the 2025 Radical Racing Rebels Team, Rachel is competing in the Radical Cup UK Championship driving the Radical SR3.

Rachel also competes in the UK’s premier karting events against some of the best karters in the world and attends Wiltshire College studying, Motorsport Engineering.