After three days of gruelling testing at the Porsche Experience Center in Franciacorta, Italy, 14-year-old Joanne Ciconte has progressed through to the final stage of the FIA Girls on Track Rising Stars Program.

Ciconte was one of 16 girls entered in the unique program, eight of which were in the Seniors class, where participants underwent a series of tests both in and out of the car to get the most of their abilities.

From physical and strength training, mental and personality assessments, and education on areas such as tyre maintenance, as well as timed laps in a Formula 4 car - the girls were tested in the elements that make a complete racing driver.

All the assessments were completed under the watchful eye of an expert jury made up of members of the FIA, the Ferrari Driver Academy (FDA), Iron Dames, Scuola Federale ACI Sport, Pirelli, OMP, Tony Kart and 3,2,1 Perform.

Following on from the three days of testing, Ciconte was selected alongside Alba Hurup Larsen (Denmark), Domenika Arellano (Ecuador) and Mathilda Paatz (Germany) to progress to the last stage of the program.

“It is such an amazing feeling to have made it to the final four – it is such a privilege to have had this experience,” Ciconte said.

“Making it through to the next stage is certainly confidence building and I feel it gets me closer to my goal of being a driver - I am just so pleased that I made it to the next effort.

“They were three really challenging days – especially since it was my first time in a Formula 4 car, something I had never experienced in my life – but I had so much fun across the whole event.

“The amount of hard work and effort I have put in to get here - I am so proud of not just myself, but my family and the team for all their support - I am really looking forward to the next stage.

“The whole event was super professional, and the FIA went to the extreme to put on a good program – they were really serious about it and we all felt like we were at the top level.”

In being selected, Ciconte becomes the second Australian to progress to the final four of the program’s history, with Alice Buckley having made it to there last year.

Ciconte also wasn’t the only Australian at this year’s event either with Jure Portelli also part of the eight.

However while Portelli fell just short of being selected, Ciconte was lucky enough to make it through and the 14-year-old was hopeful of making it to the FDA.
“I felt really proud to be an Aussie there and was happy to represent the country in a competition like this,” Ciconte added.

“I am more motivated now to make it through and win that spot in the FDA, and I feel like I have developed a strong mindset for it.

“I am going to spend the next couple of months working on my fitness and getting mentally prepared for the stage as the pressure will be bigger, while also getting practice in the car.

“A big thanks to Motorsport Australia and Karting Australia for their support in this part of my journey, as well as the FIA for running an amazing event.”

The final stage of the Girls on Track Rising Star Program will see Ciconte return to Italy in November, only this time it will be at the iconic Fiorano circuit in Maranello, where she will battle it out for a spot in the prestigious FDA next year.