'History-making' racing driver eyes next challenge

Lydia Walmsley started karting at seven years old and was racing on junior circuits at the age of 14

A racing driver who became the first female to achieve a podium finish in the JCW Mini Challenge Championship has her sights set on a new class.

Lydia Walmsley, from Kesgrave in Suffolk, described that win as "history-making" and now hopes to compete in the Porsche Sprint Challenge GB.

Competitors in the series, which starts in April and visits circuits including Silverstone and Snetterton, drive identical Porsche 425 HP 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport cars.

Walmsley is now "looking for partners to join her on the journey" given the uncertainty over the cost of such a competition.

"The way you drive a Porsche is so very different to how you drive a Mini, it's chalk and cheese, they're complete opposites," she said.

"I had a day around Snetterton, it's almost mind-blowingly quick but I'm sure you get used to it, it was lots of fun and it had so much grip."

She also called the car "a great machine" and suggested it could drive itself.

'Amazing competition'

Walmsley's main barrier to competing in the series is the cost of maintaining the vehicle against any damages incurred through racing.

"I've been told around £120,000 a year but that again depends on any damages," she explained.

"I'm having to hire and insure a car this year, which is obviously not something I've ever had to bare the cost of before, it just pushes the cost up a little bit more."

She was understanding of why "a Porsche costs a little bit more than a mini" but remained fixed on eventually being able to make the switch.

"It's an amazing competition to be apart of, I just hope we can make it happen somehow."

The first race weekend of the 2025 series is set to commence on 26 April 2025 at Donington Park in Derbyshire.