At Females in Motorsport we love discovering young girls that are taking their first steps in motorsport. So, when a young lady called Emily Linscott starting following us on Twitter, we quickly realised how much of a star she already was.
Meet Miss Linscott. She’s 15 and already formidably fast, not to mention a multi-award winning racer. Although she only started karting in 2016, by August last year she was making her racing car debut at Rockingham. You can see why she’s had lots of people excited!
“I only starting liking motorsport once I’d started karting,” she told us. “My parents would watch MotoGP and sometimes an F1 race, but then a man called Dan Lee of Race Driver Developments came along and said if I wanted to go further in motorsport, not to go to SuperOne karts but to go straight into cars.
“We went to Snetterton in 2016 to watch and I loved them, from then on I’ve wanted to race them, and I’ve been planning my career ever since.”
But how did this new-found love of speed begin? A day out at a karting track in Essex was in fact what kickstarted Emily’s passion.
“My dad took me to Lakeside Karting one Sunday with a school friend and I enjoyed it,” she said. “I joined a development club after that and after just two weeks they said I should move up to their karting race academy. I did very well there and once again, Dan Lee (Brentwood Karting) said I should go open wheel to better my skills. Things seemed to be working out pretty good!”
Since that first adventure, Emily has been snapped up by Arden (their founder none other than Red Bull F1 boss Christian Horner) and their Young Racing Driver’s Academy, something she is incredibly proud to be a part of.
“I was totally shocked and surprised to learn they’d scouted me and asked me to join the YRDA after such a short space of time,” Emily said. “We were asked to the Arden HQ to see their factory. When we got there, it was amazing. There’s three formula cars in their reception, one of them being a Red Bull F1 car! It’s so cool to see them up close, I’d never even seen one in the flesh before. They’re huge!
“Then both Jamie Horner and Steve Hutchinson came out to meet us. They shook our hands and then just spoke directly to me about what I’d done and how I felt about winning my first championship in my first year and things like that. They seemed to know a lot about me. We then got a tour of the building and the cars in the workshop, which was really cool. They then showed me where the drivers practice on their F4 simulators and offered me a go.”
Naturally, Emily was apprehensive but took this in her stride and the nerves played to her advantage.
“I was a bit nervous, as I’d never seen one before, I’d never even driven a computer racing game, so it was all a bit strange,” she said. “I got some awesome coaching and then they left me alone to try what I’d learnt, which went pretty well too. At the end of the session we talked about how fast I’d picked it up the that my lap times showed good speed and handling of the car…then they offered me a position in the YRDA as one of only 15 drivers worldwide!
“I’m just starting my second year with them and the training, the simulator work and the mental approach is really starting to show through. I’ll be testing in an F4 car a few times this year during the season, so we’ll see where that takes me.”
Despite having achieved an awful lot in such a short space of time, Emily is keeping her options for the future open. She said: “Initially I was aiming for GT or LMP in the WEC, but I’ll wait and see what the F4 tests show. I’m expecting them to be incredible, so who knows, I may go down the Formula route after the Ginetta’s…”
It was clear to see Emily’s passion from talking to her. Racing is now a bit part of her life and one of her biggest sources of enjoyment.
“It’s the excitement and thrill of pitting myself against others at speed, the added element of danger and the atmosphere of the paddocks,” she said. “Most of the drivers treat each other with a huge amount of respect off the track, even to the point of making good friends with them too, but when you get out on track, the friendship ends for that period of time and you’re all totally focused on the racing, not the people.”
Emily has already shown maturity in the racing decisions she’s already made. On top of this, she knows that being a girl in the industry still makes you a minority. Yet, she is keen to show that girls can dare to be different too and rightly doesn’t let her gender hold her back.
“If you want to do it, then just get out there and do it!” she said. “Don’t let anyone tell you you can’t; you can. If I can do it, then anyone can. I was extremely shy but loved the idea of going fast.
“That’s it really, you have to show others just how much it means to you, in whatever way you can. It doesn’t mean you have to say it, you just have to work hard to prove it means something. It’s crazy expensive and my family aren’t what you’d call rolling in it, so my parents won’t just waste money on a whim, I’ve had to prove it really means something.”
Why Emily is one to watch:
Emily won the BMKC Junior Championship in November 2016 having competed in just 6 of the seven rounds, finishing on the podium in every race.
Awarded the Buckmore Park Star Pupil 2016 – the first female to win the title in its 16-year history.
The Jack Petchey Foundation proudly awarded Emily for ‘Inspiration to young adults’ through her work and commitment to karting.
Highly Commended for Karting Magazine’s ‘Rookie of the Year 2016’ award.
Scouted by and signed to Arden International for their Young Racing Driver Academy (YRDA)
Competed in her first Ginetta Junior Car Race in August 2017.
Finished 5th place rookie at Silverstone in the Ginetta Junior Championship Race September 2017.
Highly Commended for Active Essex ‘Young Sports Personality of the Year 2017’ Award from tens of thousands of young athletes.
Named as one of the ten finalists of the Downforce UK ‘Henry Surtees Teen Racer of the Year 2017 – awaiting the result any day now.
Recognised by ExquisiteConceirge.co.uk who have tipped her as an Essex Sports Start To Watch in 2018 .