January 24, 2022 10.15 am This story is over 31 months old

Scunthorpe teen looking to break barriers and become motorsport’s newest star

Hoping to break ground in a male-dominated sport
Alicia is hoping to make her dreams come true by winning Formula Woman and progressing through the motorsport ranks, just months after passing her driving test. | Photo: Racing Talent
By Local Democracy Reporter

A 17-year-old from Scunthorpe has qualified in the top 50 of a worldwide competition that seeks to find the next female star motorsport driver.

Alicia Barrett, 17, has reached the final 50 of Formula Woman, a competition introduced in 2021 to encourage more female participation in motorsport, and to hopefully provide a platform for potential future world champions.

Formula Woman has had more than 800 women from 28 countries apply, including Alicia from Scunthorpe, who is currently head girl and studying for her A-Levels at Worksop College.

The top four ranked drivers will earn a prize of a fully sponsored McLaren GT4 seat in the UK GT Cup Championship 2022, a seven-round motorsport series starting at Donington Park National Circuit on April 9 and 10.

Alicia has no previous car racing experience and only passed her driving test in September 2021, but has been a keen go-kart racer from the age of eight, winning the 2017 X30 Ladies Championship at the iconic Le Mans circuit.

Forumula Woman has been launched to offer a female platform in a male-dominated industry. | Photo: Racing Talent

She will now take part in Formula Woman on March 2 and 3, where she will be given practical and written tests covering mind coaching, reactions, social media, driving, racing and technical skills.

Just 10 out of the 50 women will progress from this stage, moving on to a ‘shootout’ in Europe which will decide the final four winning drivers.

Alicia said: “Being selected as one of 50 females to reach the final stages of the Formula Woman competition brings me one step closer to my goal of being a professional racing driver – something I have aspired to since I was young.

“During the pandemic I was unable to continue funding my kart racing. For
me, Formula Woman has come around at the perfect time and if I was successful in winning a championship drive in the McLaren GT4, I would finally be able to make the transition from karts to cars.”

If Alicia is one of the lucky winners, she will undergo full training and coaching ahead of the April start of the televised GT Cup, which will see her get behind the wheel of a 3.8 litre twin turbo V8 race car.

To track her progress, you can follow Alicia’s Instagram and Facebook pages, and for details on sponsorship you can email [email protected].