12-04-2025
On this day: eight-year-old Bonnie progresses in drivers' programme
On this day in 2024, the York Press reported that a then-eight-year-old from an East Riding of Yorkshire village had embarked on a journey that "could lead to sporting greatness."
Bonnie Neilson, from Hayton near Pocklington, was selected to progress to the second round of a girls-only drivers' programme, which "could see the first female Formula One driver on the grand prix circuit since 1975."
Her father, Mike Neilson, an IT Architect at Portakabin, said that he and his daughter were "glued to the TV screens during the racing season."
On an Easter holiday trip Bonnie practiced on a 580 metre-long circuit at the TeamSport Leeds go-kart track, as part of a talent identification programme launched under the F1 umbrella.
Bonnie, who was competing in a category of girls aged up to 12-years-old, crashed on the third corner of her first ever lap in a go-kart.
Mr Neilson said: "She's always been really competitive, and, despite the big crash, after getting the OK from the marshals, she kept going and knocked 15 seconds off her lap times by the end of the third session of the day."
Bonnie said: "I just went full speed and tried overtaking people."
Mr Neilson said that the organisers sent an email soon after the event, in which they said that Bonnie showed real promise and invited her to the next round of the kart racing pathway, beginning with five coached sessions.
The programme, called F1 Academy Discover Your Drive, aims to promote and increase female participation in motorsport on and off the track.
Mr Neilson said he is looking for funding support as Bonnie moves up the pathway.
