Jade Paveley, a 17 year old girl from Meriden in UK will be the youngest driver in the Silverstone 24 hour race, part of the Britcar championship. The 17 year old driver will compete at the wheel of a Mazda MX5 on 2-3 October 2010 aiming to get a place in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC). Jade also wants to become the first female winner of the BTCC. Coaching her is BTCC champion Matt Neal.
Jade's Mazda MX5 is actually a road going car that has been converted to comply with race regulations. It has a roll cage, no passenger seat, an external ignition cut off, larger fuel tank, fire extinguisher and slick racing tires.
Jade will have to cover over 1,000 miles in the 24 hour Silverstone race with the engine revved to the maximum.
Mazda Press Release:
While most 17-year old girls are spending the weekend clubbing and shopping, one Midlands 17-year old girl will be lining up on the starting grid for the Britcar 24-hour race at Silverstone on 2-3
October 2010, at the wheel of a Mazda MX-5.
At 17, A-level student Jade Paveley, from Meriden, near Coventry will be the youngest driver in the race and one of just a handful of female drivers competing against seasoned drivers in one of the UK’s toughest motorsport tests. Not only does it test the durability and reliability of the cars but also the mental strength and physical fitness of the drivers.
However, Jade is no stranger to race tracks and competition having raced karts since the tender age of 14. Her ambition is to secure a seat in
the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) and become the first female winner in that series, BTCC champion Matt Neal is coaching Jade in pursuit of that goal.
Jade passed her driving test in July this year, just days before her first race in the Britcar series in a Mazda MX-5 at Snetterton in Norfolk. Despite limited time behind the wheel of a road car Jade performed well and was picked by Mazda as one of the drivers for the Silverstone 24-hour race.
The 24-hour race is a gruelling test of both the car and driver, with the MX-5 reaching speeds of up to 130 mph and travelling over 1,000 miles in the 24 hours with the engine revved to the maximum throughout the race, it is the ultimate test of the car’s reliability and durability. The car’s handling is also crucial, the MX-5 has always been one of the best handling cars in the world and the race track is the perfect place to demonstrate this ability against cars with greater power and price tags.
The Mazda MX-5 that Jade will be racing is a standard road going car with a roll cage fitted for safety, the passenger seat removed to reduce weight and a race seat replacing the driver’s seat.
Other additional race items are external ignition cut off, larger fuel tank, fire extinguisher and slick racing tyres.
Jade is part of a four driver line-up for one of the two Mazda MX-5 cars being entered by Mazda UK. She will drive three two hour stints, including a night drive. The physical and mental demands on a driver are considerable, 100 percent concentration is required at all times to avoid accidents and the physical exertion needed to race a car on the limit for up to two hours at a time requires a fitness level and strength that is a combination of a weight lifter and marathon runner.
“The 24-hour race is a big challenge and completely different to anything I have done before,” commented Jade. “The car is capable of winning its class at Silverstone as it does not eat its tyres like some of the competition, the fuel consumption is frugal and it handles extremely well on the limit. At Snetterton we could hold and, in some cases, beat the faster more powerful cars through the corners which was simply down to the MX-5’s excellent handling and poise.
“I have been doing a lot of night driving to get used to the limited visibility at speed and some invaluable coaching from Matt Neal. I certainly feel confident that we can produce a good result for Mazda at Silverstone. I have been getting fit for the challenge and believe I am now fitter than I have ever been and am really looking forward to the race,” added Jade.
