MOTORSPORT engineering student Rachel Robertson is aiming for a regular place on the starting grid of the F1 Academy after a stunning debut in its final race event of the season in Las Vegas.
The 18-year-old Wiltshire College & University Centre student, who is studying Level 3 Motorsport Engineering at Chippenham campus, was given a dream late call-up to the Hitech TGR team after driver Aiva Anagnostiadis had to have surgery on her foot.
Rachel justified the team’s faith in her by finishing fourth in the first of two races on the famous F1 street circuit.
Her Hollywood script-style journey from kart racing to the world stage in just one season came after she carved out a reputation for fearless driving in the sports car racing championship, the Radical Cup UK, where she finished third.
Her prowess prompted a £15,000 grant, funded by Match of the Day presenter Gabby Logan and her husband Kenny. Rachel was the first ever recipient of ‘Gabby’s Grant’ and funded two Formula 4 test drives and a session on Hitech TGR’s simulator, which led to an F1 Academy test drive and put her in the frame for the call-up. The seven F1 Academy rounds take place at full F1 Grand Prix circuits over the same weekends.
Rachel said she had a ‘pinch me’ moment on the grid as she waited for the start of the race. “It felt so cool,” she said. “Before our races we’d been waiting in the F1 pitlane, which was such an amazing experience. Being able to park just outside an active F1 garage before driving down the pitlane where all the F1 drivers would be driving down too was incredible.
“Definitely leading up to the first session I felt the nerves coming in as it’s such a huge stage being at a Grand Prix weekend. Though once out on the track, the nerves went away and I could focus purely on driving.”
In the first race she qualified in 14th but made up ten places to finish just outside a podium spot, outscoring her more established teammate. In the second she was progressing well but earned a ten second time penalty after a collision and finished where she qualified, in 14th.
She said the weekend was another learning curve in a season full of new experiences and has only made her hungry for more. “Considering it was my debut and in race one I finished fourth, it is amazing,” she said. “To be just outside of the podium on a grid with very experienced drivers is incredible, I was happy with how I drove over the weekend and with setting best overall sectors at points during qualifying.”
“Hopefully next year I’m able to get a regular seat, and this street circuit experience will be so valuable.”
The Las Vegas weekend was made more special by having her parents with her. “They were probably more excited than me, none of us have been to a F1 Grand Prix before so everything was new,” she said. “It was great having them there for this big moment in my racing career. I also met Gordon Ramsay on the grid before race two, which was very cool.
“I enjoyed meeting all of the other F1 Academy drivers and many other great people.”
Lily Raynor-Blundell, the college’s Head of Faculty of Engineering, Automotive and Motorsport, said: “It’s absolutely incredible to see Rachel’s progress and achievement in the world of Motorsport and the F1 Academy.
“The motorsport courses we deliver allow learners such as Rachel to develop their knowledge and application of engineering such as data and performance analysis, engines and electrical systems and materials and fabrication. For racing drivers, having knowledge of the mechanical aspects will allow them to work well with their teams to drive performance of the car and themselves.”
She said just 16 per cent of motorsport engineers, crew and technicians and only per cent of UK race licence holders are female. “It’s fantastic to see Rachel thriving as a female in motorsport and we’re proud to be working with her as part of her journey,” she said.
For Rachel the next step is getting a regular drive in the F1 Academy and finding sponsorship to get a place in the British Formula 4 Championship. “I want to compete in both so that’s my goal,” she said. “But I’m also going to concentrate on my college course.”
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