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Car Chat with Rosemary Smith

Dec06

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Car Chat with Rosemary Smith

Posted by wheelsforwomen on Dec 6, 2023

Car Chat with Rosemary Smith

Still motoring through life at full speed we talk, cars, gadgets and more with former Rally Champion Rosemary Smith. Who taught you to drive? My father, when I was 11 in a big old fashioned Vauxhall in a field. I had to sit on a cushion. What do you drive and what does it say about you? A Ford Focus which is my driving school car and it says I love teaching youngsters to drive. Do you have a favourite car gadget? The radio, if that’s a gadget, always on RTE Radio 1 for the news and a bit of chat and music. How do you get into rally driving? Buy a small ready prepared rally car, learn to drive it, get your competition licence, practice, and earn enough money to keep it going. Whom do you most admire in your industry? Rauno Aaltonen and the young Irish driver Craig Breen What was your best career decision to date? Accepting the works drive from the Rootes manager in the early sixties. You have raced all over the world which event is the most memorable? The East African Safari which was a very long and arduous event. It was held mostly on dirt roads over five days and nights non-stop. How much has rallying changed since you first competed? Tremendously. The cars are so much better built and prepared and are extremely fast, I would love to be rallying in these times. Do you have any tips for young racing drivers? Try and get as much experience as possible and look for a good budget to spend. One item you couldn’t live without? A house, it’s very important to have a roof over your head the older you get. How do you relax? Watching television and reading newspapers. Who is your hero? My dad, he was always my biggest supporter. Describe yourself in one word? Courageous. Rosemary Smith 12th January, 2016...

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Car Chat with Sarah McKenzie

Sep07

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Car Chat with Sarah McKenzie

Posted by wheelsforwomen on Sep 7, 2021

Car Chat with Sarah McKenzie

We talk role models, music and motorsport with Formula Woman competitor Sarah McKenzie Who taught you to drive? My dad! He had a 2L TDi Mondeo at the time so being keen on cars I was very interested in getting behind the wheel. I think it was good to learn how to drive in a car that had decent power because most cars after that have felt manageable. How did you get involved first in motorsport? My mum introduced me to Formula One at the age of 10 and I was immediately hooked. The speed, sound and colours of the cars was addictive and I’ve been a huge fan ever since. What is Formula Woman? The only competition of its kind, Formula Woman gives women with little to no racing experience (but a huge passion for motorsport) the chance to learn how to be a professional driver. The ultimate prize will be a racing seat in the 2022 GT Cup Series. You are one of a handful of Irish competitors in the 2021 Formula Woman so what happens next? The next step for me is attending my on-track assessment at the Anglesey circuit in Wales, on September 20th. On track assessments will continue until the end of November, before 16 competitors are chosen for a “final shoot out.” How can we involve more women in the sport? I think that understanding where to find women who might have a passive interest in motorsport and making it as accessible and interesting as possible is the key here. For example, Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” series did a great job of capturing people who previously had a mild interest in Formula One, and turning them into regular race watchers. Additionally, I think that a lot more could be done in promoting female-only elements of the sport like the W Series etc. Whom do you most admire in motorsport? From a female standpoint specifically, I have huge respect for Susie Wolff. Her achievements both in Formula One and more recently in Formula E set an important precedent for women in motorsport. What was your best career decision to date? I always try to make career decisions that scare me a little bit because I find that diving in at the deep end is the best way to learn. If I’m not learning any...

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Home » Celebrity Cars

Kirsteen O’Sullivan Drives the Skoda Yeti – Practical, Fuel Efficient and Quietly Confident.

May02

Kirsteen O’Sullivan Drives the Skoda Yeti – Practical, Fuel Efficient and Quietly Confident.

Originally from Fife in Scotland, Kirsteen O’Sullivan now lives in Dublin with her husband David who hails from Sligo. A regular face on Xpose, TV3’s fashion and celebrity show, Kirsteen has also presented Xccelerate, TV3’s motoring show and the Champions and Europa League shows. What was your very first car? An electric blue Ford Fiesta, complete with choke and all. It was a great wee motor and I still have very...

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Derval O’Rourke Drives the Mitsubishi ASX- Fun, Reliable and Efficient

Apr09

Derval O’Rourke Drives the Mitsubishi ASX- Fun, Reliable and Efficient

Derval O’Rourke –Ireland’s hurdles queen and world medalist – has set her sights on Olympic glory in London this summer. We were lucky enough to catch up with her, despite her grueling schedule, and asked her a few questions about what she thought of the Mitsubishi ASX and more…...

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