Oban racing driver joins F1 Williams team

on April 11th,2012

susie-stoddard-t16susie1no OBAN racing driver Susie Wolff (nee Stoddart) has taken a huge step towards achieving her goal of competing in Formula One after joining F1 team Williams as a development driver, it has been announced today (Wednesday,April 11 2012).Susie has had the classic racing career,beginning in karting and then moving to junior single-seater series and was twice nominated for the prestigious Young Driver of the Year Award before moving up to DTM. In 2012 Susie will contest her seventh season in DTM.

Susie said:‘I would like to thank Sir Frank for giving me this opportunity both on and off the track. I must also thank Mercedes Benz AMG and HWA for supporting me to take up this new experience with Williams. Formula One is the ultimate challenge for any racing driver and it offers me the chance both to apply and to improve the skills I have developed racing in DTM.

‘In return I shall be offering some of my own technical insight and experience – coming from a different discipline – and helping the team engage with its partners. I hope also to demonstrate that women can play a role at the highest levels of motorsport.’

Frank Williams,Team Principal of the Williams F1 Team,said:‘Susie is a talented,successful and highly professional racing driver who competes in one of the world’s most fiercely-contested racing series.’

Susie recently married Toto Wolff, a director of Williams, but Williams F1 has stressed her appointment was approved by the board, with Toto removing himself from the process.

Bernie Ecclestone, chief executive of Formula One, welcomed the announcement, adding:‘If Susie is as quick in a car as she looks good out of a car then she will be a massive asset to any team and on top of that she is very intelligent. I am really looking forward to having her in Formula One.’

For more sport news see The Oban Times,April 12 2012 or on line at www.obantimes.co.uk/digital