F1 Academy driver hopes to inspire next generation

A 19-year-old woman who went from go-karting "as something to do at the weekend" to competing around the world is urging more girls to take up motorsport.

Alisha Palmowski, from Manchester, currently drives in the F1 Academy, an international racing series which helps young female drivers improve their skills.

She currently races in front of millions of people across the world but started go-karting at a track in Trafford Park as "very much just a hobby" and now hopes she can inspire other girls to take it up.

"Motorsport is very much a male-dominated sport, it always has been," she said, "However I do believe that landscape is very much changing."

Palmowski said throughout her career she was often one of only two or three female drivers on a grid of more than 30 drivers but the F1 Academy was helping to raise the profile of female drivers.

"We race in front of millions of people," she said.

"Thousands of people trackside at the Grand Prix... so hopefully that visibility will really increase the amount of female participation at a grassroot level."

She said she was encouraged to see so many girls now go-karting at her former home track in Trafford Park.

"I did get my first race win here, my first podium here, so very, very special memories," she said.

"To be back seeing the young drivers out on track doing exactly what I used to do 10, 11 years ago, who knows maybe fast forward 10 years they might be in F1 Academy - so it's great to see."

Palmowski said she had been inspired by 1970s Italian F1 driver Lella Lombardi, who remains the only female to have ever competed in F1.

"She's a huge inspiration of mine," she said.

"To showcase that females can absolutely compete in Formula 1, so that's a great motivator for me to try and be the next one.

"I've got such an incredible support network of people behind me in Red Bull racing, so I've got the best opportunity possible, so I just need to keep working and keep delivering the results and performing and hopefully progress closer and closer."

The next F1 Academy race for Palmowski will take place in Austin, Texas in October.

Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.