A group of talented women racers is set to make their mark across various racing series within the ESET Cup weekends. They are going to compete for results in the F4 CEZ Championship, Clio Cup, and Twingo Cup.
Leading the charge in the F4 CEZ Championship are Kornelia Olkucka from Poland, joining forces with Maffi Racing, and Michelle Jandová, who will debut with the SAPE Motorsport team.
“My championship goal is to get on the podium,” says Kornelia Olkucka, who started racing at age 14, spent several seasons in karts and now is ready to take another big step in her career. “I want to quickly adapt to the new environment, improve my driving skills, and consistently score points. I expect that I will gain invaluable experience.”
Czech driver Michelle Jandová is also an experienced kart racer, spending past seasons in this category. Now she is looking forward to her first race in Formula 4. “I’m very excited about the new season in Formula 4. The challenges for me will not only be the new car but also a completely new environment, larger circuits, and new competitors. So far, I have financial coverage for the first race and the testing before it, but negotiations with partners are ongoing so that I can compete in the entire season,” says Jandová, who is also a member of the F4 CEZ Academy and has already tested the SAPE Motorsport team’s Formula 4, which she will be racing at the opening round at Balaton Park.
Adding to this lineup, Katarzyna Terlikowska is gearing up to showcase her skills in the Clio Cup with the KTT Infotec Racing team. She began her journey in motorsport from amateur sport events and participated in the Polish Racing Car Championship, winning titles on home soil. Now she is moving to the Clio Cup and is looking forward to the new challenge and new tracks.
“I’m thrilled and I can’t wait for the first round of the Clio Cup series. I’m very excited and curious to see how I’ll fare against seasoned rivals. Since I am an ambitious and systematic person, and competing in a cup series requires intense training, it’s exactly what meets my expectations. I believe that regardless of the results, this year will be a fulfilment of the dreams and goals I have set for myself,” explained Terlikowska.
Last, but not least in the starting field, will be Linda Frey from Switzerland. She will make her racing debut behind the wheel of a small Renault Twingo in the Twingo Cup series. After spending time on race simulators, she is ready to take another big step and make it to the real starting grid.
“I’ve prepared myself with a lot of sim racing, learning the circuits really well, especially the Balaton Park Circuit, to compensate for the lack of real-life racing experience. I mainly want to have fun, enjoy it, and of course, gain experience. Understanding the real racing stuff, like what happens in the boxes and how the organizations work during a race weekend, is crucial for me,” mentioned Frey.
The list of young women in the starting field across various racing series doesn’t have to be definitive. There are more girls trying to make a break into the world of motorsport. The new F4 CEZ Academy project is preparing the next generation of racers, and among the members are also Kristýna Kalistová, Natálie Jakuševová and Eliška Pytlounová.