Dubai: In a sport dominated mostly by men, it's amazing to see the way Cyndie Allemann exudes confidence and carries herself. Her love for speed has made her one of those rare successful women drivers in the world. She dreams of becoming a professional driver, but also wants to set an example in her efforts to lure more women into the sport.
"As a woman my main challenge is to show that women can do something equivalent to what men are doing. That's my job and goal. If you have a goal and work towards it with a clear focus and self- confidence then you can achieve it," Allemann told XPRESS while successfully completing the pre-season testing for the i1 Supercar Series at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi.
Promotional drive
"There are now girls in the Europe getting attracted to karting, but in this part of the world I want to be an example and bring in more women in the future and promote the sport," she added.
Allemann was just seven when she started karting, thanks to her dad and brother who were professional karters.
"I was very good at karting and I had that desire to do well simply because I loved racing," said the Swiss, who at 13 won her first European Championship in the Junior category and went on to achieve more success as a professional karter in Italy.
She will be one of only two women drivers participating in the i1 Supercar Series promoted by Machdar Motorsport beginning in January. "It's really exciting. There is already a lot of interest. Those cars have a real downforce and lot of grip which gives a real good chance of overtaking.
"It also gives a great chance to be with top Formula One drivers and we will get to learn a lot of things from them," added Allemann, who was contracted by Mercedes and was part of the Mercedes Junior team before she moved to the US to drive in the Indy Light Series in 2008.
Allemann draws inspiration from two legendary sportsmen, Ayrton Senna and Roger Federer. "He [Senna] was a perfectionist. He had a strong personality and was a great racer. I like Federer because he is the best example for a person to stay simple. He has achieved so much but still manages to stay down to earth. He is the best and I hope I can be a similar role model for young women."
