Tasmania has seen a massive turnout in participants for both of Motorsport Australia’s development programs, Ricciardo’s Racers and FIA Girls on Track.
 
Both programs reached capacity across the weekend with 64 participants attending Ricciardo’s Racers two events, while 55 girls participated in the FIA Girls on Track workshop day.
 
Taking place over two days, Ricciardo’s Racers held one event at Symmons Plains and the other at Baskerville with the record number of participants completing a number of driver exercises across each day.
 
Under the guidance of Repco Supercars Championship driver Andre Heimgartner and Australian Karting Champion Lachlan Dalton, the participants completed a range of activities, including braking and manoeuvring through a slalom course and a mini-motorkhana competition using a provided car.


On Friday, FIA Girls on Track was held as part of the Shannons Rally Launceston, taking place at the Event Headquarters where the 55 girls took part in regular activities such as the Simulator Challenge, Media Workshop, STEM Workshop, Pitstop Challenge and Fitness and Reaction Challenge.
 
There were plenty of motorsport personalities there to mentor the girls including FIA Girls on Track Ambassadors Nadine Armstrong, Jessica Dane, Champion Casey Price, Emmalene Drew and Tabitha Ambrose, while Heimgartner and Dalton were also in attendance.
 
The huge attendance rate was helped by the inclusion of four schools - Riverside High School, Prospect High School, Penguin District School and Summerdale Primary School, the latter of which had supervising teacher Emma Heyne left thoroughly impressed by the program.


Photo: Angryman Photography

“The girls had a fantastic time and are still raving about it. We have received fantastic feedback from parents regarding how inspired their children were,” Heyne said.
 
“The delivery of the content was spot on and highlighting other career paths they can access was fantastic.
 
“Additionally seeing such young ladies allowed them to realise even though they are still in primary school still, being this capable and successful might not be in the too distant future.”
 
The FIA Girls on Track will next be in action with a double header at Norwell Motorplex and Triple Eight Race Engineering on 18-19 July, while Ricciardo's Racers also has a double header in August with positions open.
 
Click here for more information on Ricciardo’s Racers.
 
Click here for more information on FIA Girls on Track.