Autosport Porsche Young Driver Farce!

[Andy Roberts]

Autosport, January 13th 2005, Page 135
"with the emphasis on younger drivers currently struggling to find funding to showcase their talents"

This is how I along with every other Autosport reader read the article about Autosport backing the Porsche GB guest car in 2005. Finally I thought, a real chance for some drivers like myself who struggle for years on end just to make it out on the grid in anything you can muster the money together for, to show what your really capable off.

I voted for several friends in the same position as me so it was a bit of a shock when the first driver was an ex McLaren Autosport Award finalist. Fair enough Dan Eagling wasn't currently racing though lack of funds and I don't think he is now but upon reading Autosport today I am totally shocked that Autosport have given the next drive to Susie Stoddard!

I've met Susie a few times and she is a lovely girl, but hold on, isn't she currently racing in British Formula 3? I thought the emphasis was on drivers struggling to find funds, yet here Autosport have managed to pick a driver who is racing in a championship where drivers regularly pay in excess of £250k per season! No disrespect to Susie on this but how can you pick a driver who has raced continually for the past 4-5 seasons in top line championships like Formula Renault UK, Formula Ford, currently Formula 3 and who was twice an Autosport Award finalist as "struggling to find funding". I know how hard it is to raise funding as I've been trying to do it for the past 8 seasons and the only way I could continue my racing was to get a 2nd job and save every penny I had to go racing. Even with this 2nd job I've still not raced solidly for 2 years now, unlike people like this.

I'm not angry, just disappointed that Autosport could actually do something like this. I'm sure Susie will "struggle" along in F3 for the rest of season and I wish her well, and I'm sure many more drivers out there who didn't get the chance, to continue on in there 2nd jobs just hoping they can get that extra bit of cash to go racing, whenever that next may be.

Shame on you Autosport.