ANNA JOINS THE FAST WOMEN AT SILVERSTONE

Volkswagen Racing Cup contender Anna Walewska was at the forefront of a gathering of women in motorsport this week at Silverstone. The event was organised by motorsport's UK governing body, the MSA, as part of International Women's Day.

Despite being one of the few sports in which men and women can compete on an equal footing, women make up only eight per cent of registered racing licence holders. It's a problem which frustrates 23-year-old Anna: "There are not nearly as many women involved as there should be. I think that's just down to poor promotion. There's a need to make access to motorsport a lot easier than it is.

"A lot of women come to me at race circuits and ask 'How do I get into it? How do I start? Can I race against the guys?' It's a shame they even have to ask those questions; the answers should be easy to find.

"The Silverstone event was a good get-together, a chance for women in motorsport to meet and discuss what we are doing and the hurdles that we face; it was very enjoyable and I was glad to attend."

Anna's views are echoed by Melissa Wright, Director of championship promoter RacingLine, championship manager of the very successful Volkswagen Racing Cup with Fuchs Lubricants, and one of the very few women involved with motorsport at a senior level.

"Motorsport is the perfect environment for women to compete alongside men," says Melissa. "The Volkswagen Racing Cup welcomes female competitors and we are delighted that it attracts drivers of Anna's calibre. The championship has no need of a 'ladies cup', because the women are in any case up there and doing well against the men."

Anna's plans to take on the men and beat them will see the BRSCC T-Car graduate at the wheel of an Alan Blencowe Racing-prepared Golf GTI in the Volkswagen Racing Cup this season. She enjoyed a successful learning year in the series in 2009 and hopes to use it as a springboard into the BTCC by 2012.