Natasha Seatter

Natasha wins in 2011

Natasha is a well-travelled Malaysian driver, active since 2009, with race wins in different series, in different countries, to her name. She is half-American and was born in Malaysia.

Following four years of karting, she began her senior career by winning all four races of the Petronas Formula Xperience rookie driver competition, in a Formula BMW. This series was one of the supports for the Merdeka Millennium Endurance race, and therefore a big stage on which to perform.

This was followed by a year in Asian Formula BMW in 2010. Now, Natasha was competing against drivers from all over Asia and beyond, including future Formula One drivers, Daniil Kvyat and Carlos Sainz Jr, many of which were far more experienced than her. She managed a best finish of tenth, at Guangdong, and was 20^th in the championship.

In 2011, she continued in Formula BMW in Asia, now rebranded as the JK Racing Asia Series. She improved her best finish to fifth, in Singapore, and was a regular fixture in the top ten. Her final position was tenth.

During the winter season between 2011 and 2012, she travelled to the United Arab Emirates to contest the Formula Gulf 1000 series, held in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Natasha was on the pace straight away, and was second in her first race, at Dubai. Later in the season, in February, she won her first race, again at the Dubai circuit. She also achieved another second place, and three thirds. Unfortunately, she missed the first two rounds, and as a result, does not seem to have been classified.

In between, she managed two rounds of Formula Pilota China, in Mongolia, gaining two third places, plus another third in a ladies’ VW Polo Cup race in India, and seventh in a mixed VW Cup race. Back at home, she drove a VW Scirocco in the Merdeka Millennium endurance race, and was 19^th, driving as part of the Scirocco team with Angus Kirkwood and Noel Edward Becker.

During the 2012-13 winter season, she competed in fourteen rounds of Formula Gulf, and walked away with seven wins, plus two second places. She was the runaway winner of the championship.

She drove in two rounds of the 2013 Asian Porsche Carrera Cup, a first for a female driver. These races yielded a thirteenth and 17^th place, at Shanghai.

For most of 2013, she raced in the Malaysian Super Series, in a Radical SR8. For the endurance part of the championship, she was joined by her father, Stewart Seatter, who also races in the Asia Pacific region. They were second in the second round, at Sepang. Natasha was second in the championship, after a battle with Angus Kirkwood, her former team-mate. She scored four podium finishes.

Late in the season, she rejoined Formula Gulf for its two Dubai races, and won both of them.

In 2014, she entered the South Korean rounds of the GT Asia championship, in an Aston Martin Vantage. She was eighth and ninth at the Jeollanamdo circuit, driving for the Craft Bamboo team with Tacksung Kim. Her first race earned her a “Best Performing Driver” award, for climbing to seventh from eleventh place, then fighting back to eighth, following a safety car period and a drive-through penalty.

Unfortunately, Natasha did not race for the rest of the year. Her plans for 2015 were unclear, but she did express an interest in contesting the Australian V8 Supercar series in the future. Continuing recovery from an injury kept her out of competition in 2015 and she retired for seven years.

She was persuaded back by the BHP Petrol Racing Team, who initially got her to race for them in a six-hour kart enduro. This led to a drive in the first two rounds of the Malaysian Touring Car championship, in which she finished second and third. She also partnered Nurul Husna Nasharuddin and Muizuddin Musyaffa for the Sepang 1000km, driving a Honda City. They were 29th overall.

Natasha and Nurul planned to race together in 2022, although this does not seem to have happened. As of 2025, Natasha manages the Janes Racing Team in Malaysia, and has been urging Malaysia's drivers and engineers to return and support their domestic motorsport scene.

(Image copyright CircuitProDigital) 

Ewy Rosqvist

(Image from www.classicmotor.se)

Ewy was a Swedish driver of the 1950s and 1960s. She was the only woman to drive for the Mercedes rally team, and is most famous for her win in the “Argentine Grand Prix” Rally in 1962.

Ewy was born in 1929, and grew up in a comfortably-off Swedish farming family. Her first love was animals. She attended agricultural college and after finishing her course, worked for a local veterinary surgeon. Supported by him, she undertook some veterinary training in Stockholm. It was while she was there that she learned to drive. After gaining the necessary certificates, she worked alongside the vet, as an assistant. This necessitated her first car, a Mercedes-Benz 170 S, as she had to drive miles between farms, to assist the vet with livestock care. She became adept at driving long distances on challenging terrain, often at speed, and also learned how to handle and maintain her car in these conditions. This was a good foundation for her future rally career.

Her first taste of rallying came in 1954, when she was a passenger in a three-man team on the Midnight Sun Rally. The two drivers were her husband, Yngve, and her father-in-law, although she did drive a little on some of the road sections. After this, she was determined to enter a rally herself.

It was not until 1956 that she took to the stages herself, although she and Yngve did do various motor club navigational challenges together. She entered the Midnight Sun Rally, with Majbritt Clausson on the maps. They did not finish. The make of their car is not recorded, but it is likely to be a Saab. This was Ewy’s biggest event of the year, but she was active in smaller rallies, whenever finances and work schedules allowed it.

In 1957, she spent a year rallying a Saab 93, which was one of the cars to have in Sweden at the time. Her usual co-driver was her sister-in-law, Anita Rosqvist. As well as driving her own car, she did some navigation, including one rally with her husband. They were 25^th in the 1000 Lakes Rally.

Her Saab only lasted a year, and she chose a car from its Swedish rival, Volvo, for 1958. During her first year, she mainly competed in Scandinavia, in various rallies, but in 1959, she became more ambitious, and started looking towards an international career. After a first win in the Ladies’ class of the Midnight Sun Rally, Ewy and Anita weighed up their chances of a win in the European Ladies’ Championship, against the formidable Pat Moss, who was capable of outright wins. They racked up Coupes des Dames in the Viking Rally and the 1000 Lakes, in their Volvo 1600, plus a strong finish in Poland. Ewy was third in Germany, but Pat won the ladies’ prize, putting her almost level.

The Ladies’ championship points were not calculated solely on points scored within rallies. Drivers had to enter a certain number of rallies to be considered, and they received some points for each start. Pat Moss had skipped some events, allowing Ewy to get the lead in the rankings. The championship would be decided at the RAC Rally, which both drivers had elected to contest. Disaster struck for Ewy; shortly after her arrival in England, she became very ill, and ended up in hospital. She thought that this was the end of her Ladies’ title hopes, but as it happened, Pat Moss also withdrew from the rally, handing Ewy her first of three Ladies’ Cups.

1960 was something of a turning point in Ewy’s rally career. She began the year with her first run in the Monte Carlo Rally, still driving her own Volvo 1600. She was fifth in the Ladies’ class, a long way behind Pat Moss. However, by May, she had the bonus of works support from the Volvo team, and a new PV544. Ewy and Anita won the Ladies’ Cup in the Acropolis Rally, and were 15^th overall.  In August, they followed this up with another Coupe des Dames in the 1000 Lakes Rally, and were 29^th. Ewy retained her Viking Rally ladies’ title, and also travelled to Poland for the first time, for the Rajd Polski, which she did not finish. The battle with Pat Moss was on again, but it came down to technical arbitration, rather than results on the road. Pat’s car was judged to have been placed in the wrong class, and she was no longer eligible. Ewy could have benefitted, but the FIA decided not to award the European Ladies’ Cup this year.

Her new professional status would have been very welcome to Ewy; after combining rallying and veterinary work since 1956, she finally parted company with her surgery, due to being unable to commit her time to her old job.

There was more change in 1961. Anita was pregnant, and sat out most of the season. Ewy teamed up with Monika Wallraf, a German who also raced on the circuits. Their first event together was the Monte Carlo Rally, in a Volvo 122. They got to the finish in 56^th place, ahead of Ewy’s arch-rival, Pat Moss, but behind Anne Hall, who won the Coupe des Dames. They ran well in the Alpine Rally, close to the leading drivers, and won another Ladies’ Prize. In August, Ewy won another one in Poland, partnered by Eugenia Wolko this time. Back with Monika, she was the fastest lady in the 1000 Lakes Rally, in a 544, and was 19^th overall. She also participated in the RAC Rally, with another new navigator, Ursula Wirth, but her best result had come in May. She was seventh in the Acropolis Rally, in the 544, her first international top ten. A total of nine ladies’ awards, in different rallies, gave her another European Ladies’ Cup. Pat Moss was now concentrating on outright wins, and there were new female rivals to overcome.

She started the year with the Monte Carlo Rally in a Volvo in 1962, but shortly afterward, she was approached by Mercedes, who offered her a professional driver’s contract, after months of rumours. Her first major rally as a Mercedes works driver was the Tulip Rally, in a 220 SE. It was a tough start for her and Ursula, and they were 48^th overall. Her erstwhile rival, Pat Moss, was the winner. In the summer, she was 20^th in the 1000 Lakes Rally, and a pleasing sixth on a car-breaking Polish Rally. However, her greatest achievement, and probably the greatest of her entire career, came in the autumn.  She won the Gran Premio Internacional Standard Supermovil YPF (Touring Car Grand Prix) outright in Argentina. This was not a race, but a long-distance rally, held over ten days in the rugged Argentine plains.  Ewy not only won the rally, but won every single stage along the way, avoided mechanical disasters, and even weathered the death of her team-mate, Hermann Kühne. Her experience as a roving veterinary assistant in rural Sweden had found an unlikely use.

Ewy and Ursula in Argentina (Image from www.spoca.se)

The experience, although it must have been thrilling, was also a wearying one, and made her consider seriously whether she wanted to continue with rallying afterwards. By this time, her marriage to Yngve was over, and she was exhausted. She sat out the season-ending RAC Rally.

Over the winter break, she decided to continue. The Monte was never her best event, but she won the Ladies’ Cup in 1963, in the Mercedes 220 SE, with Ursula Wirth on the maps. She was 16^th overall. Between then and the Acropolis Rally in May, she and Ursula parted company temporarily. Ewy’s co-driver in Greece was Heikke Krause, a German. They were twelfth. An electrical fault put her out of the Alpine Rally in June, then a rare accident dropped her from the Polish Rally standings. Later in the year, she and Ursula teamed up again, to defend their Argentine title. Despite a strong performance, they were third overall.

In between, she had her first taste of international touring car racing, driving a Mercedes 220 SE, with Ursula and Eberhard Mahle, in the Nürburgring 6 Hours. They were fifth overall, and won their class.

1964 began in a similar way. The 220 SE was still competitive, although newer Mercedes models were being used by other members of the team, and the BMC Minis were starting to come into their own. Ewy, assisted by her new regular co-driver, Eva Maria Falk, was a disappointing 38^th in Monte Carlo, just behind Sylvia Osterberg. Snow was never her best surface, despite being from a Nordic country. In a warmer location, Portugal, she was fifteenth in the ACP International Rally. Then it was time for the Acropolis, a rough rally which suited Ewy’s measured, but quick, driving style. She was fifth. Later, she was sixth in the Spa-Sofia-Liège Rally, another tough marathon event. Her last rally of the year was another trip to Argentina, where she was third again.

Shortly afterward, she announced her retirement, at the age of 35. She joked with the Argentine media about becoming a housewife and learning to cook, but as she was preparing to marry Baron Alexander von Korff, head of the Mercedes competition department and hereditary peer, this was probably unnecessary.

Although Ewy never competed seriously again, she remained involved with the motoring scene, was a test driver, and for decades, acted as a brand ambassador for Mercedes. When not involved with Mercedes, she worked as a multilingual tour guide in a museum in Stuttgart.

She was immensely popular in both Sweden and Argentina, and was the subject of many newspaper articles and TV sections. She was Swedish Sportswoman of the Year in 1961. Both Ewy and Ursula, despite their love for the toughest of terrain, were always well-dressed and ready for a photo opportunity, long before this was standard practice for international motorsport stars.

In later life Ewy, a widow, lived in Stockholm, after some time spent in Germany. She died aged 94 in July 2024.

(This piece owes a lot to www.ewyrosqvist.com, a fan page created with Ewy’s co-operation.)

The San Isidro Rallye Femenino

Gloria Castresana Waid (left) and Paquita Torres, in 1967

Spain’s answer to the long-running Paris-St. Raphaël Rally in France had its first edition in 1967. It ran in May, as part of the city of Madrid’s traditional San Isidro festivities.

The rally was 175 kilometres long, and the route went from the centre of Madrid, to the bullring at San Pedro Arena, near Avila. It was run as a regularity test, with a 50km/h speed limit. There were also slalom sections and high-speed sections, at least one of which was held at the Jarama circuit, which had just opened.

The first Rallye enjoyed quite a large amount of sponsorship, from the Coca-Cola Corporation, Iberia Airlines and a number of local businesses, who provided prizes. It was organised by the Sociedad Internacional de Azafatas (International Society of Hostesses, a trade body for promotional and hospitality workers) and the Spanish Royal Automobile Club. Lili Alvarez, a former tennis champion and female sporting icon, was one of its spokespeople, who included Juan Antonio Samaranch, then the Minister in charge of sporting activities.

Sixty crews entered. Makes and models of their cars are not usually recorded in contemporary accounts. A few were from motorsport backgrounds, including Gloria Castresana Waid, an established rally driver. She partnered “Miss Spain”, Paquita Torres, in a Mini. They won the Slalom section and the regularity section. The rest of the field was made up of “society” girls, minor celebrities and also, adventurous Madrid-based women with a car, who wanted to have a go.

The event was not taken entirely seriously. One stage involved the drivers getting out of their cars and tying a tie on a waiting man. Some competitors claimed that their rivals were stopping to meet their boyfriends for drinks en route.

It was possibly for these reasons that the Rallye was not covered as extensively by the media in 1968. It was temporarily cancelled for the 1969 season.

It ran six times between 1967 and 1973; by 1970, it was part of a Spanish women’s championship. By now, it was run as a conventional rally, and attracted regular rally drivers to take part. After 1973, it disappears from the official women’s rally championship calendar.

Later, it is referred to as the Rallye Automovilistico Femenino SIASA, then the Rallye SIASA. By then, it had extended to 200km in length, and had two regularity sections and three speed tests: two hillclimbs and one circuit race. The numbers of crews fluctuated, from 23 to over a hundred.

A complete list of winners does not seem to be available, and this matter is confused by there being several awards made during each rally.

Winners

1967 Carmen Gimeno/Cristina Gimeno

1968 ?

1970 Marisol Rodriguez Mesa/Maria Teresa Rodriguez Mesa (Mini 1275)

1971 Aurora Fierro/Belén Agosti (Alfa Romeo 1300 GT Junior)

1972 Gloria Gascuñana/Maria de Jesús Urrutia (SEAT 1430)

1973 Nuria Viñas/Ana Maria Garreta (BMW 2002 Ti)

I would be interested to learn more about this rally, not least the winner of the 1969 event.

(Image copyright Gloria Castresana Waid)

Women in UK Rallycross

Paige Bellerby

This post has been split off from the original Women in Rallycross post, with some additions. Shelley Wakeling, Sue Jeffery, Suzie Brailsford and Amy Binks have their own posts.

Frankie Helliwell (Fyfe) - active in British rallycross since at least 2009, when she competed in Junior Rallycross in a Mini. In recent seasons, she has used a BMW Mini. In 2016, she contested the Mini Rallycross Championship, with a best finish of third, which she earned twice during the year. She was fifth overall. In 2015, she also raced the Mini, and reached at least one “A” Final, at Croft. In 2017, she made one appearance in the British championship, at Croft. She did a longer season in 2018 and earned two sixth places.

Beccy Holland - drove in rallycross events in the UK between 2004 and 2006. Her car was a Peugeot 205 GTi, which she raced in the Stock Hatch class. She started out in the Winter series in 2004, before tackling some of the main season. In 2005, she only qualified for one “A” Final, but was competitive in “B” Finals. The following year she reached three British Championship (BRDA) finals and was tenth overall in the championship. She does not appear to have competed since then. 

Sue Lane - front-runner in the BTRDA 1600cc Production Rallycross championship in 2018, driving a Honda Civic. She scored her first win at Blyton at the end of 2017 and won again at the same track in mid-2018. She ran as high as second in the Production championship points table and finished sixth, second in the 1600cc class, with two wins. In 2019 she won the 1600cc class and was third in Production. She has been active in rallycross since at least 2016.

Samantha O’Flanagan - has driven in Minicross in British championships since at least 2008. In 2010, she was seventh in the Minicross Open Championship. This was the same position in which she finished in 2009. Her best finish in a single round was sixth. In 2010, she improved this to fifth. She was sixth in the 2011 championship, with a best finish of fourth. In 2013, she may have competed in Classic Minicross, but her results are not forthcoming. She remains in the sport as an administrative member of the Minicross Drivers' Association.

Tina Pinder (Scott) - one of Britain’s leading contemporary female rallycross drivers. In 2005, she drove a Peugeot 205 in the Stock Hatch class, with a best finish of fourth in BRDA events. She maintained her momentum the following year, qualifying for some “A” Finals and finishing eighth in the championship, driving both the 205 and a Peugeot 106. This was despite a dramatic crash at the Croft round. The 106 was upgraded to a 206 in 2007, and Tina was eleventh in Stock Hatch. She switched to a Citroen C2 for the 2008 season and was rewarded with second in the small but competitive Stock Hatch B class. She won the Super Modified title in 2009. 

Rebecca Ryder – raced in the BMW Mini class of the British Rallycross Championship in 2014. She was second in the championship, with two runner-up positions. In 2015, she stayed with the BMW Mini, but moved into circuit racing, contesting the Mini Challenge UK. 2014 seems to have been her first season of racing. She returned to straight circuit racing in 2019, contesting the Ford Focus Cup.

Leigh-Anne Sedgwick - winner of the 2017 British Rallycross Hot Hatch title. She won four rounds outright and was second twice, driving a Citroen Saxo. In 2016, she drove in the Irish rallycross championship, and was fourth in the Stockhatch class. Before that, she raced bangers and stock cars on short ovals, having made her debut in 2003, aged ten. She remained in British rallycross in 2018, in the BMW Mini class. She was sixth overall, with a best finish of second. In 2019, she raced two cars, the Mini-class Mini and another Mini prepared to Supermodified spec. She won the championship for 2000cc Supermodified cars and was fourth overall in the class. During the three-race 2020 season she raced a BMW Mini, finishing seventh in the Mini class. She made a guest appearance at Lydden in 2022 after time off for illness, before returning to the BTRDA series in 2023. She was seventh in the Mini class and 32nd overall. In 2024, she won the Mini class twice and was third in the championship.

Jordine Wadge - races a Citroen C2 in British rallycross. She won the 1600cc Supermodified title in the 2018 BTRDA Clubmans championship and was seventh overall in the 1600cc Production standings. She also raced in Minicross in the Netherlands. She has been active in motorsport since at least 2016, when she did some sprints in a Ford Fiesta. That was also the first year that she co-drove in a rally, sitting alongside Todd Crooks. She continues to navigate occasionally.

Tania Wilson (Jeffery) – made a comeback in 2009, driving a Peugeot 205 in the Revivals class of the British Championship. She scored some decent finishes, just out of the top three. Previously, she had competed in the contemporary championships in the late 1990s, although details of this are not readily available. She and Sue Jeffery are sisters.

(Image from http://www.swiftrallycross.com/)

Women in National Sportscar Racing: the UK

Chloe and Jade Edwards

This post has been split off from Women in National Sportscar Racing, with some additions. Rebecca Jackson, Fiona James, Jade Paveley and Flick Haigh now have their own posts.

Judy Andreason (Day; also Vickery) - raced a variety of cars between 1967 and 1983. She was best known for her exploits in a Marcos 1500 with the numberplate “HOT1E”, which she raced in sportscar events at Castle Combe and Brands Hatch. She was an early exponent of historic racing, and owned two 1930s MGs, a Magnette and an NA. As well as circuit racing, she competed in trials and rallies. She was an enthusiastic early member of the British Women Racing Drivers’ Club, and unfortunately, injured her neck during an all-female BWRDC Demolition Derby. This forced her retirement in 1983. She died in 2017, aged 75.

Nicola Bernans – raced in the VdeV series in 2008 and 2009. She was driving a Juno in the Modern Endurance category, and made guest appearances both years. In 2008, this was at Magny-Cours, and she had a best finish of tenth in a sprint race. The year before, she had raced a Radical in Britsports, with her brother, Richard Bernans. The brother-sister duo also raced as Counter Solutions Racing in the Fun Cup in 2008. Nicola does not appear to have raced in recent years. 

Amanda Black – began racing through the Caterham Academy. She did her first couple of events in 2005 and 2006, but only really got her career started with the Academy, in 2011. That year, she scored her first race win, in the Graduates series. After more wins in 2012, she won the Graduate Sigma Championship, winning twelve of her sixteen races. In 2014 and 2015, she moved over to a Ginetta GT4 car. She raced in the MSA Endurance Series and Britcar, but did not have the funding for full championships. Despite this setback, she was a quick driver, with at least one second place in 2015. In 2016, she raced the Ginetta in the GT Cup championship, with Ian Anderson. They were sixth overall in the GTA standings. She switched to a Caterham for the 2017 season, and was eighth in the Sigma Graduates championship, following a part-season. She finished on the podium in all three of her races.

Jean Bloxam - mainly raced Aston Martins in Britain, in the 1950s. Beginning in 1952, she drove DB2 and DB3 models, mainly in National-level races at Silverstone and Goodwood. She was very successful at this level, with her first wins coming in 1956: a Ladies’ Handicap at Goodwood and a Closed Car Handicap at Silverstone. In the latter, she managed to beat Jeff Uren. The Ladies’ win was achieved in a Lotus Mark VIII. Other cars raced by Jean included a Ford Anglia and MG Magnette. Despite her string of strong finishes in National events, she only got to race in one big event, the 1967 Nürburgring 1000km. She and Patsy Burt drove an MGA, but had to retire with mechanical problems. Jean retired in 1961, after the death of her husband, Roy, at Goodwood. She died in 2016.

Angela Brown – raced in the early to mid-1950s. She almost always drove Aston Martin cars, which is unsurprising, given that her father was David Brown. Her best year was 1954; at a Silverstone meeting in July, she won a relay handicap with Reg Parnell, and was second in two other handicap races. Her car was a DB2. In 1955, she drove a DB3 and a DB2/4 around the UK, winning one Production Touring Car race at Castle Combe. This year, she drove a HWM-Jaguar belonging to George Abecassis in the Brighton Speed Trials, finishing well in the Ladies' class. She is also described as racing a Morris Minor at some point. Following her marriage to George Abecassis, she wound down her racing. Later, she owned racehorses. She died in 2000.

Vicki Butler-Henderson - better-known as a UK TV presenter and journalist, but raced in a number of saloon and sportscar series when she was younger. She did a full season in the Pentel Ginetta series in 2004. In 2004 she and Matthew Marsh also won a round of the Grand Prix-supporting Maserati Corse championship. Their car was a Coupe Cambiocorse. As well as this, she has driven and navigated in rallies, usually as part of her TV work. She has navigated for Louise Goodman and driven a Peugeot 206 in a British Championship round. Tiff Needell was her co-driver. In 2017, she came out of retirement to race in the Mini Challenge at Snetterton.

Brenda Dickinson – raced sportscars in the UK. She began early, at the age of seventeen. In 1961, she drove a Lola MkI, in which she won at least one race. That year, she was part of the Fury Team for the Silverstone 6 Hour Relay, although the result has been lost. She was 27 that year, and had been racing for some time. Her other cars, owned with her husband, Peter, included an Aston Martin, which she described as her favourite. She also took part in rallies, autocross and trials.

Valerie Diederichs - raced a Caterham in the UK between 2002 and 2004, as part of the Caterham Graduates programme. She moved up to Mega-Graduates in 2004 and won two "Best Improver" awards for advancing on her grid position, although she did not manage to get on to the podium. As well as Caterham Academy events, she also did some club racing. Until 2013, she was an aerodynamicist for the Mercedes Grand Prix team.

Chloe Edwards (Traves) - began her career in the Playstation 2 Ginetta Junior series in 2005, continuing into 2006. Her finishing record was good. In 2007 and 2008, she did some club saloon racing in an MG ZR, finishing midfield in Class B of the BARC/Dunlop SportMaxx Cup. She was racing with her father, Jim Edwards, a former BTCC driver. In 2010, she raced in the Max5 championship for Mazda MX-5s. She did not race for three years before taking part in the Aston Martin GT4 Challenge in 2014. She won the last round, at Donington, along with her sister. In 2015, she did a part-season in the British GT Championship, racing an Aston Martin Vantage in the GT4 series. She scored two thirteenth places at Oulton Park. 

Sally Erdmann - races a Radical SR1 in the UK, although she is from Germany and lives and works there. 2022 was her first season of senior competition, after some years of karting. She discovered the Radical by accident and took some time to test before embarking on her first race. She was eighth in the 2022 championship and second in the rookie standings. Her best finish was seventh, achieved at Snetterton and Brands Hatch. In 2023, she moved back to Germany and raced an Audi R8 LMS in the GTC championship. She scored at least one third place. After losing a major sponsor, she moved away from Radicals and the UK, racing a Nissan 370Z in the German national endurance series, the NES 500. In 2025, her interests moved more towards flying and parachuting.

Emily Fletcher – raced between 2008 and 2012, usually in a Ginetta. She drove a G20 in the 2008 Havoline Ginetta Championship, and had a best finish of thirteenth, at Mallory Park. She had several DNFs, and was 26^th overall. In 2009, she did some races in the G50 Cup at Brands Hatch, as well as having a better season in the G20 series. She broke into the top ten on three occasions, at Knockhill and Donington, had a perfect finishing record and was thirteenth in the championship. After that, she competed less, and got some unwelcome attention when she temporarily lost her driving license, for speeding. She participated in the Britcar 24 Hours three times, from 2010 to 2012, twice in a Ginetta G50. Her best result came in a Marcos Mantis, in 2011, driving for the Topcats team. She and her three team-mates were eighth.

Tamsin Germain (Chittenden) – did her first car races in 2016, after a long and successful senior career in karting. In 2012, she won the Rotax DD2 Masters race at Genk in Belgium. She was second in both the Euro Open and the Euro Challenge championships that year. In 2014 and 2015, she was second in the BNL Karting Series. In 2016, she is racing a Ginetta G40 in the GRDC championship. Her best result was a seventh place, at Donington, and she was normally in the lower half of the top ten. Her sister is Tiffany Chittenden, and her mother is Micki Vandervell.

Tracy Hathaway - raced in Global GT Lights in the 1990s and early 2000s. She did at least two seasons in 1999 and 2000, picking up at least some top-five finishes. Her results are not readily available. Previously, she was involved in rallycross, in the Minicross class. She is the daughter of Graham Hathaway, the creator of the Global series. Her sister Jo also raced in the championship.

Michelle Hayward - a leading driver in the British Clubmans scene. She won the Clubmans Sports Prototype championship in 2018 and was named Britain’s no. 1 amateur driver as a result. She has been racing her Mallock in Clubmans since 2014, when she was second in the Sports 1600 class, with two wins. She did some races in 2020 after some time off, then some more guest appearances in 2021, including a three class wins. She returned to the BARC series in 2022 and was once again near the front. In 2023, she moved up to the CSP1 class and did most of the season, winning one race at Donington. In 2024, she raced a Phantom in Clubmans, winning races at Donington and Brands Hatch. She won at least once race in 2025, at Brands Hatch. Before that, she raced Caterhams and a Fun Cup VW Beetle, as well as karts. She first raced cars during the run-up to the cancelled 2006 Formula Woman championship.

Kathleen Howard - raced in club and national events in the UK in 1959 and 1960. Her car was a Climax-engined Lotus Eleven. Her most frequent track visited was Goodwood and she was third and second in handicaps there in 1959. She also ran well at Mallory, picking up a second place there in 1960. Occasionally, she raced with her husband, David Howard.

Trish Hunter - races a Clubmans sports prototype in the UK. Her car is a Mallock Mk16 which she races in Classic events, either with the BARC or the HSCC. Her career began in about 2010 and she initially shared her car with husband Brian, although they now race their own cars in separate classes. She returned to the track in 2021 with the HSCC after missing most of 2020, having damaged her car at Croft. Her adventures continued in 2022 and 2023. She has done particularly well in the BARC Clubmans Classic class, finishing third in 2014 and second in 2016.

Jodie Kidd - raced in the Maserati Trofeo in 2004 and won a round at Bologna with Fabio Babini. Since then, she has taken part in several “Gumball”-style road rally events, but no more actual races. She is better known as a fashion model.

Katrin Kristensen - Danish driver who races a Radical, mostly in the UK where she began her career in 2021, in the SR1 Cup. She competed with the Raw Motorsports team in 2022, with a best finish of eighth at Brands and Donington. Later in the season, she entered a round of the Gulf Radical Cup at Dubai Autodrome and finished seventh in a sprint race. This was her first entry in the championship. In 2023, she did two races in the British championship.

Caroline Lucas - raced GTs in the UK in the mid to late 1990s. She was second in the 1995 Porsche Cup and entered the British GT championship in 1998 and 1999. In 1998, she and Diane Osborne finished some races in a Porsche 911 RSR run by PK Sport. In the two races they managed to finish, Spa and Silverstone, they were eleventh and thirteenth. In 1999, she and Paul Phillips entered a few races in a similar car. Their best finish was one ninth place, at Donington. Caroline does not appear to have raced since then.

Dorothy (Dot) Masarati - raced sportscars at club level in the UK, normally in a Porsche Carrera. She did at least one season in 1992, including a run in the 750MC Bill Taylor Memorial Race with David Bowden. Later, she admitted that she found racing quite nerve-wracking. Her sons are former British GT racers, Piers and Miles Masarati, and she remained involved with the sport for some time helping them. Her husband Jamie also raced.

Courtney Milnes - races a Mazda in UK club events. She competed in both the BRSCC and 750MC Mazda MX-5 championships since 2015, as well as karting internationally in Spain as a junior. During her time in karting she raced against Carlos Sainz. She is currently a front-runner in the 750MC’s 5 Club MX5 Cup and has a best finish of fourth in 2021. She works as a test engineer in the automotive industry.

Nathalie McGloin – started racing in the Porsche Club championship in 2015. Her car is a Porsche Cayman. She did a second full season of the PCC in 2016, with a best finish of fifth, at Brands Hatch. She was twelfth in the 2017 Class 1 championship, as she only did a part-season. In 2018, she won her first race: the BWRDC Ladies' Handicap at Silverstone. This followed another season in the Porsche Club championship. In 2019, she took her Cayman rallying too, taking oart in two rounds of the Motorsport News Circuit Rally Championship and winning her class once. She was unable to race in 2020, but returned in 2021, competing in the 750MC's Tegiwa Roadsports series. Usually, she shared her car with husband Andrew Bayliss. She did more Roadsports races in 2022 but injured her neck and had to sit out a lot of the season. She attempted to come back for a race at Daytona in 2023 but was unable, so Andrew Bayliss took over. Since then, she has been out in the Porsche only occasionally.  Nathalie is the only female racing driver in the UK who uses a wheelchair, as a result of spinal injuries. Her Porsche has hand controls.

Jemma Moore - took her first steps in circuit racing in 2017 when she entered the Brands Hatch rounds of the Junior Saloon Car Championship. In 2018, she started the season proper and took pole for her first race. She finished third. This was her best result of the season and she repeated it at Rockingham, on the way to seventh in the championship. In 2019, she won her first JSCC race at Knockhill. Later in the season, she traded in her junior licence and began competing as a senior, driving a Ginetta G50 in some rounds of the GT4 South European Series with Moh Ritson.They were first and second in class at the Algarve circuit. She entered the Jerez round in 2020 and was second overall, first in class. In 2021, she won the GTC class outright. Jemma is the younger sister of W Series and Britcar racer and former Ginetta Junior racewinner Sarah Moore. She had to step back from racing in 2022 due to illness.

Jasmin Norman - won her first race at Donington in 2026, driving her Audi TT in the 750MC Armed Forces Challenge. This was her first race back after a serious accident at Castle Combe in 2024, when she was racing another TT in the Castle Combe GT championship. She returned to the series in 2026. Away from motorsport, she is a mechanic in the Army.

Charlotte Osborn (Gilbert) – raced in British GTs in 2001 in a Promotasport Marcos Mantis, after some races in Marcos one-make series. Her co-driver was Andrew Davies. Their finishing record was patchy to begin with, but they managed a twelfth place at Croft as their best finish. Their reliability improved towards the end of the year. Since then, she has occasionally taken part in Britcar, in a Marcos Mantis Cup or GT4, as part of Topcats Racing, a team she runs with Warren Gilbert. The team has run in the GT Cup since 2019, with Charlotte sharing a Lamborghini Super Trofeo with Charlotte Birch in 2022. They were seventh in the championship. She carried on in the Lamborghini in the 2023 GT Cup, sharing with Gilbert Yates. They won the GTC class. She won the overall GT Cup in 2024, sharing the Lamborghini with Tom Rawlings. Her team won the GT Cup again in 2025, with a Huracan. Charlotte drove for half of the season.

Diane Osborne - drove a Porsche 911 RSR in the British GT championship with Caroline Lucas in 1998. Their best finish was eleventh, at Spa. Previously, she had been third in class in the 1995 Pirelli Porsche Cup, driving a 944S2, and raced a Porsche 968CS at Castle Combe. She came twelfth in the Porsche Open Trophy. Presumably, she took part in other races in this championship as well. In more recent years, she has raced a MkI Jaguar in historic events, including Masters touring cars and the 2018 Le Mans Classic.  

Sarah Reader – British driver who began her career in Caterhams, coming up through the Caterham Academy ranks. In 2005, she was fifth in the Caterham Eurocup. Since then, she has raced other sportscars, mainly in Europe. Between 2009 and 2014, she raced a Juno prototype in the Speed Euroseries and the VdeV Modern Challenge. She was more successful in the Speed Euroseries, finishing fifth in 2011, after two second and two third places. She earned an additional podium at Paul Ricard, in 2012. In 2014, she raced the Juno in the VdeV Challenge Endurance Proto, with Flick Haigh. She raced in the VW Fun Cup in 2015. 

Louise Richardson - former karter, who began "senior" motorsport by competing in the Ginetta Junior series. She began racing the Ginetta in 2009, and was ninth in the championship that year after a string of late-season top five finshes. In 2010, she returned as a much more competitive driver. She finished third in the 2010 championship, thanks to two wins at Snetterton and Brands Hatch and a series of eleven podium places. 2010 was her last season of junior competiton, as she turned 17. In 2011, she moved into the senior Ginetta Supercup, and was sixth in the championship after three top-three finishes. She was also recommended for a series of awards for young and female drivers. In 2012, she was seventh in the Ginetta G50 Supercup, after four top-ten finishes. Although she only did a part-season in the G50 Supercup in 2013, she certainly made her presence felt, winning four of her five races, and finishing on the podium in all of them. She was fourth overall. In 2014, she changed direction, entering the British Formula Ford championship. She scored many top-ten positions, the best of them being a fourth place, at Rockingham. She was ninth overall. Her second season in the MSA Formula gave her her first podium, a third place at Croft. She was still somewhat inconsistent, but managed six top tens this year. She was sixteenth overall. 

Sian Stafford-Atkinson – races a Locost (Lotus 7 derivative) in the UK. She began racing in earnest as part of the original Formula Woman initiative, although she had done some track days before. She missed out on final selection for the 2005 series, but was one of the competitors for the 2006 championship, racing a Caterham Seven. Since 2009, she has been racing the Locost in the 750MC’s Locost Championship, and she is now one of the leading competitors in her class. In 2014, she was one of 29 female drivers who took part in the BWRDC’s “Race For A Record” ladies’ handicap at Silverstone, the largest ever all-female grid. 

Pippa Tanner-Wood - races Clubmans sports prototypes in the UK, both in the historic and modern championships. She won the CSP3 class of the BARC Clubmans series in 2018, earning several class wins in a Mallock Mk16. It was in this car that she set class lap records at Anglesey and Brands Hatch in 2018 and 2019. She has also raced a Mallock 20B in Classic and contemporary competition, winning her class twice in 2023. In 2021, she switched her focus to Classic F3, still within the HSCC. In 2024, she raced Clubmans again. Her first season of racing was in 2017 and she competes alongside her father, Clive.

Julie Thwaites - competed at club and National level in the UK in the 1980s, with considerable success. She scored her first class win in the Garelli Sportscar Championship in 1982, and later went on to achieve nine more in 1986 and 1987, driving a Davrian in the Kit Car Challenge. She was recognised as Britain’s most successful female circuit driver in 1985 and 1986.

Martina Ward - began circuit racing in 2023, racing a Mazda MX5 in the 750MC's Mazda championship. In her first season, she was 17th in the championship, with her best round being Silverstone and her best result being tenth in the third race there. For this, she was awarded a Driver of the Day award. In 2024 and 2025, she continued to race the Mazda. She was previously a sim racer, competing for two years before switching to real-life track action.

Geena Mae Watkinson - had her debut season in cars in 2020. She raced a Mazda MX-5 in the Max5 championship. So far, she has performed well in her class, winning a couple of races, although her pace against the rest of the field has been a little lacking. She hopes to race sportscars professionally in the future and wants to take part in the Le Mans 24 Hours.

(Image from http://www.chloejaderacing.com/)

Winter Break

Speedqueens is undergoing its yearly update and clean-up, so there won't be any new posts for a while.

See you in the New Year!

Elizabeth Jones

Liz in 1964, in Minsk

Elizabeth Jones, born Rosemary Jones, in Newbridge, Wales, raced a Mini and other cars in international saloon races in the 1960s. She always raced under her own family name, and was often referred to as “Liz” in race reports.

She graduated from the Cooper Racing School in 1960, as one of its six most promising students. She was thirty years old, and was probably one of the oldest in the group. Using a car run by the School, she entered some Formula Junior races that year, and finished eighth in a race at Silverstone.

In 1961, she moved on to GT racing, in her own Austin-Healey 3000. She raced at Snetterton twice that year, and was second and fourth in class. In September, she took part in the Autosport 3 Hours, also held at Snetterton. Her finishing position has been lost, but she was racing against Porsches and Jaguar D-Types. According to Christabel Carlisle, a rival of the time, she took part in at least one Ladies’ Handicap race at Brands Hatch that year.

In 1962, she stuck with BMC-made cars, but exchanged the powerful and brutish Healey for the first of her series of Minis. She entered some rounds of the British Saloon Car Championship, starting at Silverstone. Her Mini was a Cooper model, prepared by the Downton Engineering team, an established tuning company. She was fourth in class at Silverstone, then twelfth overall at Aintree, in the British Grand Prix support race.

She was thirteenth overall, and second in class in the 1962 Brands Hatch 6 Hours in 1962, alongside Alan Mann and Tony Hegbourne in a Ford Anglia.  This was a double drive, as she also recorded a DNF in her own Mini, which she was sharing with rally driver, Pauline Mayman.

1963 started in a similar vein. She was fourth in class in her first BSCC race, also at Silverstone, also in a Mini. Her second appearance was at Crystal Palace, for the Small Car Trophy, and she was seventh overall. Unusually, four female drivers started this race, including Christabel Carlisle, whose career took her in most of the same directions as Liz. At Silverstone, for the Grand Prix support race, she joined up with Alexander Engineering, another preparation and tuning firm, driving one of their Mini Coopers. Unfortunately, the car developed mechanical trouble, and Liz had to retire. Her second outing in the Alexander Mini, at Brands Hatch, ended in a 16th place.

In the middle of the season, she took part in the Brands Hatch Six Hours, driving for Alexander Engineering, in the Mini. Her team-mate was the Finnish rally champion, Timo Mäkinen. They were 18th overall. Early on, Liz led her class, but bad weather and hard-charging other drivers dropped them to second, behind John Aley and Rauno Aaltonen.

Liz also accepted another one-off drive in the Tour de France, in a Mini, but a works BMC Mini this time. She was sharing the car with Pauline Mayman. Christabel Carlisle was slated to be part of the team, but did not compete in the event. The engine of the Mini did not last until the end.

 For 1964, her partnership with the Alexander Engineering team continued. In the BSCC, it was something of an underwhelming year, with some non-finishes. Once again, her best race was the Small Car Trophy at Crystal Palace. Liz was fifth, in a race completely dominated by Mini Coopers, like her own. Otherwise, her strongest finish was at Brands Hatch, in the Guards Trophy meeting. She was fourteenth overall. Throughout the season, a rivalry between her and Anita Taylor, who also drove a Mini, was stirred up a little by the press. It was true that Liz and Anita were sometimes competing directly for places, but other drivers, including Anita’s brother, Trevor Taylor, were often involved.

Alexander Engineering also provided a Mini for Liz for the Brands Hatch 6 Hours, which she shared with the American driver, Denise McCluggage. They retired, due to an accident. This was not a race for the Mini; several of them fell by the wayside, or underachieved, in this wet race.

In July, Liz seems to have accepted a drive with the British Vita team for the Spa 24 Hours. She shared a Mini Cooper with Harry Ratcliffe, but engine failure on lap seven put paid to any chance of success.

She was also a rally co-driver, who sat beside several different drivers in the RAC and Monte Carlo rallies. The cars were BMC models. She began in 1962, in major rallies anyway, sitting alongside Daphne Freeman in the RAC Rally. The car was a Mini. In 1964, in another Mini, she accompanied Sheleagh Aldersmith for the Monte Carlo Rally. Sheleagh, competing alongside the BMC works drivers in a private car, joined the team in starting from Minsk, in Belarus, which was then behind the Iron Curtain. They did not finish. After her circuit career ended, Liz continued in rallying, and took the wheel herself in the 1965 Monte Carlo Rally. Her co-driver in her Mini was Patricia Ozanne.

Her motorsport career seems to end here. Some time later, Liz moved to America, and became a well-known breeder of Mastiffs, under her married name of Degerdon. In 1989, she was charged with animal cruelty by the US authorities, and remains a controversial figure in the Mastiff breeding world.

She returned to the UK, where she continued to live until her death in 2010, at the age of 70.

(This post is heavily indebted to the research of Radnorian.)

(Image from http://minicoopers68.blogspot.co.uk/p/1964-rallye-monte-carlo.html)