Jade Edwards To Become First Female Racer At The British Touring Car Championship Since 2007

British touring driver Jade Edwards is all set to become the first woman to race in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) since 2007.  The 29-year-old resident of Ascot will mark this momentous achievement at Silverstone later this month.

The Telegraph reported that Edwards, a driver with Power Maxed Racing (PMR), will be driving the Vauxhall Astra at Thruxton. PMR also announced that she will be seen competing in rounds 16, 17, and 18 at the championship. She is carrying the baton forward from Fiona Leggate, the last female to feature at the event in 2007. Come Sept. 26, she will be hoping to emulate her father, Jim Edwards Jr, a former BTCC winner.

The touring driver Edwards has an impressive track record. She has been a part of the United Kingdom’s highly competitive Clio Cup since 2017. Last year, she placed seventh at the event. Edwards has also raced Ginettas, debuting at the Ginetta Junior Championship in 2006. Also, she emerged as a race winner at the Aston Martin GT4 Challenge.

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Edwards Expresses Elation

Jade Edwards was delighted at the prospect of making her debut at the famous racing championship. She said that racing in the BTCC has been a “childhood dream” of hers and something that’s she’s been actively working towards. Furthermore, she described the experience of racing at the same event as her dad as unforgettable.

Jade also acknowledged the constant support she has received from Adam Weaver, the PMR Team Principal. She mentioned that the latter even sponsored her Clio campaign in 2018. Expressing her excitement, Edwards added that “the Astra has already proven its speed this season, so I’m itching to get out in it and see what I can do.”
She shared a tweet celebrating her “dream come true” on social media:

Don’t know about you, but that name looks great on a @BTCC car! 😉😍 https://t.co/LlEvYVf1Ko

— Jade Edwards (@JadeEdwards9) September 9, 2020

What You Should Know: 

• British touring driver Jade Edwards is all set to become the first woman to race in the British Touring Car Championship (BTCC) since 2007. 
• Edwards, a driver with Power Maxed Racing (PMR), will be seen driving the Vauxhall Astra at Thruxton.
• She said that racing in the BTCC has been a “childhood dream”.
• Adam Weaver, PMR's Team Principal,  said that the decision to back Jade’s debut at the BTCC was a “no brainer.”

A Worthy Candidate

Adam Weaver said that PMR’s decision to back Jade’s debut at the BTCC’s Northamptonshire circuit was a “no brainer.” He went on to say that throughout his long-term association with the racer, he’s “always been impressed with the way she throws herself into everything she does with such gusto.”

Weaver also accepted that while Jade has “had a lot of bad luck on the track, she’s a great driver.” He termed her a “fan favourite” and said that he’s “looking forward to seeing what she can do.”

Other Female Racers

While Jade Edwards is the first female driver at the BTCC in over a decade, other ladies have also proven their mettle at the championship in the past. Some names include, Louise Aitken-Walker, Annie Templeton, Nettan Lindgren-Jansson, and Paula Cook.

Time and again, women have showcased exemplary achievements in the field of car racing. The year 2019 witnessed Reema Juffali becoming the first Saudi woman motorist to race in her country. In 2018, India’s first all-women racing team was shortlisted for the JK Tyre National Racing Championship. Also, Gul Panag became the first Indian woman to drive a Formula E racing car in 2017.

Tarini Gandhiok is an intern with SheThePeople.TV