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Louise Cook

Becoming a WRC Rally Driver is hard. It’s not so much the ability to drive at break neck speeds on some of the most difficult terrain the WRC calendar has to offer … It’s funding.

Louise Cook knows all about funding, and the enormous challenge of securing enough to compete in the WRC. She is the only British female in the World Rally Championship and has 100% committed to her career.

She has sold her much loved Ford StreetKA, gave up the security of a full time job, and most recently sold her trophies on eBay. That’s not something you ever hear drivers like Sebastian Loeb ever having to do.

Competing in the WRC or any motorsport is expensive, only 0.4% of all UK sports sponsorship goes to females. This somewhat explains why there are no females World Rally Champions or Formula 1 World Champions, but Louise wants to change that. She wants to become the first female World Rally Champion, a title that was nearly won by French female Rally Driver Michelle Mouton back in 1982.

As a fan of the WRC, I don’t believe the FIA or the Manufacturers are doing enough to introduce female Drivers and equality to the sport. The WRC would be a more exciting championship if it had a greater diversity of drivers and teams.

I wish Louise every success. I hope she makes it because not only will she have realised her dream, she will have also changed the game.

To help Louise with funding, you can back her indiegogo campaign or you can Get on the Grid.

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