The first two rounds of the Privilege Insurance Formula Woman Championship, the UK’s first ever all-women motor racing series, took place at a sunny Oulton Park in Cheshire today [Sunday]. Both rounds were keenly fought from start to finish, with the 16 amateur racers demonstrating impressive mastery of their Mazda RX-8 sports coupés as they battled for the initial championship points.

Graeme Glew, Founder of Formula Woman, commented, “I was delighted to see that all the girls were ready and willing to fight for every position throughout the two races. There was plenty of aggression out on the circuit, but the spectators here at Oulton also got to see plenty of genuine driver talent. Every one of the competitors has secured a place on the Formula Woman grid based on driver merit, and that really shone through today. Several of them clearly have the aptitude and the motivation to mix it with the best of their professional male counterparts.”

The 16 girls, plus 2 reserves, had to be complete novices to enter the Formula Woman competition, participating in a gruelling, year-long selection process that whittled 10,000 hopeful applicants down to the final entries. Aside from being aspiring race drivers, the girls come from all walks of life and the Championship contenders include a jet fighter pilot, an accountant, a police officer and several students. All have one goal – to hold up the trophy on July 25 at Brands Hatch and be crowned the Privilege Insurance Formula Woman Champion 2004.

Source: Formula Women

Cross posted @ Full Throttle

ROUND 1 - OULTON PARK

POS NO NAME TIME LAPS GAP MPH BEST
1 12 Natasha FIRMAN 26:33.316 12 72.98 2:10.138
2 10 Margo GARDNER 26:51.953 12 18.637 72.14 2:12.439
3 13 Lauren BLIGHTON 26:52.381 12 19.065 72.12 2:12.286
4 1 Emma HAYLES 26:52.864 12 19.548 72.10 2:12.827
5 9 Lorraine PINNER 27:04.108 12 30.792 71.60 2:14.162
6 7 Julette THURSTON 27:13.434 12 40.118 71.19 2:13.778
7 4 Bev TYLER 27:14.067 12 40.751 71.16 2:13.979
8 11 Max THOMPSON 27:37.186 12 1:03.870 70.17 2:15.430
9 15 Sarah BENNET BAGGS 27:37.721 12 1:04.405 70.15 2:15.752
10 6 Joanna LINTON 27:39.462 12 1:06.146 70.08 2:15.569
11 2 Nicola ROBISON 27:42.191 12 1:08.875 69.96 2:15.678
12 14 Pippa COW 27:54.809 12 1:21.493 69.43 2:15.222
13 8 Judith LYONS 28:19.699 12 1:46.383 68.42 2:18.922
14 5 Catherine GARD 28:21.604 12 1:48.288 68.34 2:18.880
15 16 Victoria HARDY 26:40.231 11 1 LAP 66.61 2:21.560

Not Classified
3 Amy HANDFORD 17:38.395 7 D.N.F. 64.09 2:19.847

Fastest Lap
12 Natasha FIRMAN 2:10.138 2 119.84kph 74.46

ROUND 2 - OULTON PARK

POS NO NAME TIME LAPS GAP MPH BEST
1 12 Natasha FIRMAN 24:33.912 11 72.32 2:12.174
2 1 Emma HAYLES 24:38.859 11 4.947 72.08 2:12.810
3 9 Lorraine PINNER 24:39.467 11 5.555 72.05 2:12.826
4 13 Lauren BLIGHTON 24:40.366 11 6.454 72.01 2:12.425
5 7 Julette THURSTON 24:43.014 11 9.102 71.88 2:12.793
6 4 Bev TYLER 24:54.932 11 21.020 71.31 2:13.909
7 10 Margo GARDNER 25:00.282 11 26.370 71.05 2:12.663
8 15 Sarah BENNET BAGGS 25:03.068 11 29.156 70.92 2:13.974
9 14 Pippa COW 25:13.647 11 39.735 70.42 2:15.047
10 6 Joanna LINTON 25:20.421 11 46.509 70.11 2:16.020
11 11Max THOMPSON 25:28.269 11 54.357 69.75 2:14.585
12 8 Judith LYONS 25:34.646 11 1:00.734 69.46 2:17.179
13 5 Catherine GARD 25:35.808 11 1:01.896 69.41 2:16.540
14 16 Victoria HARDY 25:05.100 10 1 LAP 64.38 2:25.663
15 2 Nicola ROBISON 25:27.578 10 1 LAP 63.44 2:16.718
16 3 Amy HANDFORD 27:07.389 9 2 LAPS 53.59 2:38.500

Fastest Lap
12 Natasha FIRMAN 2:12.174 4 117.99kph 73.32