Well the winter is nearly over and everyone is starting to get back out on track testing for the new season…except me who is at home with mild pneumonia. This has been a real setback for the past few weeks as I have been unable to call potential sponsors or arrange to go out testing. I am hoping to be out in a Formula Renault(different to a Formula Ford as it has a 2.0 engine and wings!) at Donington Park, Leicestershire next week driving alongside a driver preparing for an upcoming campaign in Formula 3 Euroseries which would be a great learning opportunity for me.

With the season literally just around the corner, I need to be going out in the Formula Ford to not only familiarise myself with it but to learn the tracks I have not yet visited in my career. The opening race is at my home circuit, Oulton Park, Cheshire at the end of March and it will be a real shame to miss it because of lack of preparation and sponsorship!

On a lighter note, I have been invited to Spain by double world champion Fernando Alonso’s instructor from his junior Formula racing days to compete in selected rounds over there which is really exciting! I also managed to secure a deal with Italian racewear manufacturer, MotorQuality who will be providing all of my racing equipment this year.

At the moment, I’m still trying to put together my promo video, I cannot believe how long it is taking to make a 3min video – 4 days so far! And for someone who has zero patience that is really, really difficult to do but seeing as I’m ill and stuck in the house I have tried to not give up on it! It is coming together really well and hopefully it will have be successful in securing my sponsorship!

Another thing I’m desperate to do is get my helmet painted. My design is really, really, well let’s say unusual and I can’t really see anyone copying it as it is going to be leopard print! Even my race car will have drippings of leopard print on it and it’s quite nice to be distinguished from everyone else as no one can really tell who’s who when the helmets go on and the drivers are in the cars! So if you’re ever at a track and see some leopard print, you’ll know it’s me!

Well I need to go and get myself better now, so until next time, have fun!

Annalese

www.superstar-racing.kk5.org

Hi everyone, my name is Annalese and I’m a 19 year old, British female racing driver from Liverpool!

Just a brief career history about me; I started out in rallying, by chance, five years ago and loved it! I then, again by chance, got into karting, won lots of races, got lots of podiums and won two championships. When I was 17, I moved into car racing, firstly gaining my National Racing Licence, and then started testing for various championships in a mix of GTs, Touring and Sports categories. Aged 18, I struggled to find the sponsorship to compete nationally in single seaters in the Formula Renault BARC championship but I did get asked to drive for Citroen/Whizzgo in the Manufacturers League, which we won so it wasn’t too bad in 2007! Also my racing efforts and achievements didn’t go unnoticed as I was offered a place at the elite Race Drivers Academy on the degree programme lasting 3-4 years. Only three of us were accepted in 2007 and I am the only female driver. The academy provides us with all round athlete training at Loughborough College and race training at Silverstone during certain weeks of the year, allowing us to race and search for sponsors in our between training time!

During 2008, I will be driving in the British Formula Ford Championship. This is a single seater series which has seen the likes of Ayrton Senna, Jenson Button, David Coulthard and Anthony Davidson compete in previous years. The series differs from the other junior formulae as the cars have no aerodynamic grip, or more simply wings, but their powerful engines can do 0-60mph in 3 seconds and max speeds of 150mph! It is supporting the British Formula 3 and British GT series as well as the British A1 GP round and a special Belgium 12 Hour Race at the legendary Spa Fronchamps. There may also be a special TV programme I may be appearing in for you to watch out for…

Over the next few months, you can expect to read an update on my racing, what I’ve been up to at the academy and some special events I have been partaking in! The racing season kicks off at the end of March but there is lots of preparation to do beforehand, such as finding those all important sponsors and testing to make sure I can challenge the front of the grid. There will be an update on the “special” TV programme which I can’t reveal any more info about yet but when I can I’ll tell you! If any of you want to find out a bit more about motorsport, getting involved or coming to the tracks to watch, you’ll find me on all of the usual networking sites(Facebook and MySpace!) and my website www.superstar-racing.kk5.org

See you soon,

Annalese