Susie Wolff, a development driver for British Formula One team Williams, will get a chance to take part in a practice race at Britain’s Silverstone track ahead of the British Grand Prix.
Ever wonder what it’s like to drive a Formula 1 race car at dizzying speeds? Susie Wolff knows exactly what it’s like.
"There are so many things going on in your head at once," she says. "It's very mentally tough because there's so much to get right while you're in the car and, obviously, you're going at such a high speed that your reactions have to be very, very fast. But you're very well prepared for it because it's very technical, and so much is expected of you, and the team makes sure that you're very well prepared.”
Wolff says she remembers vividly her first lap out on the track at Silverstone (the British motor racing track next to the English village of Silverstone) and reaching speeds over 185 mph.
“You feel like your helmet is going to get pulled off your head because the g-force is so high," Wolff says. "It's really an incredible feeling to drive that car. It's the most technologically advanced car in the world, and to drive it is really something special."
Wolff says driving at speeds up to 200 mph hour is exhilarating, but that racing is about more than that.
"It's not just about going fast," she says. "It's the speed, the adrenalin, it's the competition, pushing yourself to your absolute limit. These things combined is what makes racing and being a racing driver so fantastic. It's always been my passion."
But what about the fear factor? "I never have fear," she says. "Instead, I have respect for the car, and as long as that continues, I’ll keep racing. As soon as I have fear, I think that would be the time to stop."
The 30-something Scottish driver says she hopes someday to get the chance to compete against other world-class race drivers, like the current world champion, Sebastian Vettel.
So keep your eyes on Wolff, who some are calling the fastest woman in the world.
In July, she will take part in a practice session ahead of both the British and German Grands Prix at the Silverstone race track. The occasion will mark the first time in more than two decades that a woman has competed in a F1 event.
"I'm trying my hardest. It's not going to be easy, but I'm in the fight."
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