A STOCKTON based auto technician is aiming to get a foot in the door of top-level motorsport as she competes in the televised Formula Woman competition.
Lauren Northover, 27, works at Halfords in Stockton as a We Fit technician, is fighting it out to win one of six prestigious seats in the 2022 GT Cup championship, racing a McLaren 570s GT4.
As Lauren gears up for the next stage of the competition - a track-based driving assessment on Sunday (September 19) - the Halfords Racing with Cataclean BTCC team are supporting her with their expertise, use of the BTCC racing simulator, guidance about her motorsport career, and inviting her to join the team at a BTCC race weekend.
Lauren is no stranger to racing, she started racing karts at 11-years-old and has recently restarted her karting career in a 125cc Rotax max championship at her local track, in karts capable of nearly 100 miles per hour.
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The mum of one, who lives with her fiancé and four-year-old son Reuben in Stockton, was formerly a mechanic at a go kart centre, before joining Halfords to fit batteries, bulbs and wiper blades to customers’ cars.
As a youngster Lauren raced in karts against top level drivers such as Formula One’s Alex Albon, though she never had the budget to compete with wealthier drivers and move up into the higher levels of motorsport.
Now she says Formula Woman is the opportunity for her to get a funded place on a professional race car team and show off her skills on a bigger stage.
She said: “I saw the competition and thought am I too old to enter? but being a racing driver has always been my dream. When I was 16 I was going to enter the Silverstone Academy but pulled out as I was anxious about living away from home. When this Formula Woman came up I thought I can’t make the same mistake again!”
Halfords with Cataclean Racing Team Manager James Rodgers said: “Motorsport is tough to get in to so this competition is a great chance for her to show off her talent. We are looking forward to supporting Lauren with advice and support to help her in her motorsport career.”
Following the assessments, six chosen Formula Woman winners will be trained and coached between February and April 2022 in Formula Woman McLaren GT4 race cars.
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