Glorious spring weather greeted 100 local school girls as they arrived at Buckmore Park kart circuit for this year’s first Dare To Be Different event.

The girls, all aged between 8 and 11 years, were there to find out exactly what a potential career in motorsport has to offer them – and after first being greeted by Dare To Be Dfiferent’s founder, Susie Wolff, they then went on to enjoy and exciting and unique insight into this vibrant industry.

The Dare To Be Different initiative – www.daretobedifferent.org – was first launched in January 2016 by Susie Wolff together with the Motor Sports Association.

Now entering its third year, this non-profit organisation has introduced almost 2000 primary-age school girls to potential future careers within the motorsport world. Designed to inspire, connect and celebrate women in the industry, Dare To Be Different (D2BD) strives to cover all aspects – both on and off the track – in this perceived male-dominated arena.

The first ‘headline’ event on the 2018 schedule offered-up insight to girls from local schools including; St Michael’s RCP, Luton Junior School, St Peters Catholic Primary, Selling Primary, St Margaret’s CE Junior, Wayfield Primary, Dulwich Prep, The Vineyard, Aragon Primary and Orleans Primary School.

Activities included karting in Buckmore Park’s junior karts, followed by the Pirelli Pit-Stop Challenge where the girls worked in teams to change a wheel against the clock.

There were ‘interview’ tutorials with TV presenters Jennie Gow and Rosanna Tennant; a close-up and personal tour of a Williams Racing Formula 1 car.

National flagship programme STEMnet (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network) was present to assist with an entertaining and educational hovercraft-building exercise.

Reaction times were put to the test with the Pirelli Batak Board and the students also got to learn about health and safety, including resuscitation techniques with D2BD’s Doctor Clare Morden. The F1 In Schools Programme – f1inschools.co.uk – was also there to showcase its inspirational learning resources.

After an exhausting but fun afternoon, Susie Wolff enthused, “It’s been great to bring Dare To Be Different here to Buckmore Park – we’ve had an absolutely brilliant day. It’s a venue close to my heart as I used to race here when I was in junior karting.”

“Part of the appeal of this initiative is that we get to take it to so many venues both here and overseas, to therefore introduce as many girls as possible to the opportunities that exist within motorsport. I’m delighted by the positive impact that Dare To Be Different has already had – and there is much more still to come.”