Susie Stoddart: The Lady in Waiting

by Rebecca Hobbs

February 2004

There are some people in the world who the first time you speak to them you feel as if you have always known them. The sort of people whose persona automatically makes you warm to them. Scottish racing driver, Susie Stoddart is one of those people. The obvious love and dedication she has when speaking of racing is infectious.

Susie's family were always racers but on two wheels rather than four. Her grandfather was a trials rider whilst her father road raced and it was whilst her father raced on such circuits as Knockhill that Susie got her first taste of racing.

"Next to the circuit was a go-kart track and Dad let me go on that. I don't think he wanted to encourage me onto two wheels and thought I'd be better on four!" recalls Susie. She was hooked.

Drawn to sporting pursuits, Susie was an active youngster taking part at competitive levels in swimming, skiing and karting but it was the call of the track that was strongest. "I knew karting was what I wanted to do" says Susie and so throughout her teens her focus turned solely to karting until in 2000 she was eventually ranked in the World Top 15 and was awarded the top female karter in the world title.

Stepping into single seaters, she competed in the Winter Series of the British Formula Renault series at the end of 2001 before competing in the 2002 F.Renault season with Team DFR. After competing in the 2002 Winter Series with the Motaworld Team she signed with them for the 2003 season.

The 2003 season was to become an important milestone in Susie's career to date. On the first race weekend held at Snetterton she showed any critics that she was their to do more than make up the numbers. In the second race of the weekend's double header she pushed her way from 13th on the grid to 9th, the only driver to move forward in the race, whilst holding the fastest lap time for the first 10 laps. Susie came away from the weekend with a well deserved ELF/Atol Driver of the Day Award.

Throughout the year Susie continued to put in strong performances culminating in an assured drive at the final round at Oulton Park to take her first podium finish. This strong finish helped clinch her overall championship standing of 9th but unbeknown to her at the time her performance was also being closely watched by some very eager eyes.

The judges of the prestigious McLaren Autosport BRDC Award were compiling their shortlist and sent a scout to Oulton Park to view a number of possible contenders. Susie made it to that shortlist, the first female ever to do so.

Roger Lane-Nott of the BRDC phoned Susie to break the news of her nomination. "When Roger phoned it was totally unexpected" says Susie, "I truly didn't believe it."

And as the first ever female nominated for the award along with the congratulations came the odd suggestion her nomination was perhaps tainted with political correctness. "There were a few whispers" Susie says, "but it was made very clear to me by the organizers that this was no token gesture and this was a reflection of my performance throughout the season. I am sure my performance at Oulton helped secure my making it to the final list."

"There will always some whispers" says Susie, very matter of fact, " I can't do anything about that and I don't care!"

The McLaren Autosport BRDC Award consisted of two evaluation days which saw Susie and the other finalists visit Silverstone to turn the wheels of an F3 car, British Touring Car and a German Touring car.

"Driving the 'tin tops' was a very different experience" remembers Susie, " they were great fun but I definitely found the F3 car best and most enjoyable." The nominees progress was constantly overseen by a panel of judges including ex-driver Howden Ganley, journalist Marcus Pye and McLaren F1 team manager Dave Ryan.

As well as having to prove their mettle on the track the young hopefuls were scrutinized in a series of rigorous interviews. "The interview were quite nerve wracking" says Susie, " but as always I just told it as it is and I hope my determination and dedication came through."

All six finalists were present at the glittering awards ceremony on 7th December in London. Whether a winner or not Susie was already in celebration mode that weekend, having celebrated her 21st birthday the night before.

"All six of us were invited onto the stage and introduced" says Susie. "After that the Steve Ryder (the evening's MC) turned to us and said 'we have 6 nervous young drivers here so okay lads you can go back to your seats'! He then looked at me, I think he was a bit embarrassed! Then when I opened the following weeks Autosport magazine I found it had been made into a cartoon!"

As Susie had predicted to me, the gong went to Alex Lloyd, 2003's Formula Renault UK vice-champion.

"It was a little disappointing not to win" says Susie honestly, "but it was great to be part of it. I learnt a lot from the judges."

A prestigious awards win was on its way however. In January Susie was honoured with the Lord Wakefield Trophy for outstanding achievement by a female in motorsport world-wide. Presented to Susie by FIA President, Max Mosley, the award is one of the highest accolades for a female driver and one of which she is rightly very proud.

Susie went into the winter negotiating with a number of top Formula Renault teams and has recently announced her plans for 2004. Susie has signed with the Comtec Racing Team. With her eyes on podiums and race wins in the coming season, Comtec Racing are more than confident in her abilities.

Comtec team manager Jonathan Lewis has said of his new signing, "I'm delighted to welcome Susie to the team. She was number one on all the top teams' wish lists and we at Comtec feel honoured Susie has put her faith in us for such an important year for her."

"I ran Paula Cook when she became the first ever woman to get pole position for an international motor race in the old-style Formula Renault UK cars and in Susie I intend to make her the first female race winner in the formula."

With testing scheduled in February in Spain, Susie is more determined than ever. Having signed a sponsorship deal with BT Wholesale (promoting broadband services for women) she is well set to put her all into the sport and reap the rewards of such hard work.

And for those who still may be in doubt of a woman's ability behind the wheel Susie has one very easy solution, "come and see me race."

The British Formula Renault season runs over ten rounds, each one featuring two races and beginning on 10th April.

Rebecca Hobbs is a freelance writer and sociologist of sport who has specialised in Motorsports.

Click here for her website that covers motorsport from a sociological viewpoint including women's participation