Jem, from Chulmleigh, to represent the UK in Le Mans karting challenge

MOTORSPORT UK is delighted to announce that Jemima Hepworth from Chulmleigh is one of three girls selected to represent the UK at the FIA’s Girls on Track Karting Challenge at Le Mans, France, from March 8 to 10, 2019.

Jem, Louisa Bell and Ellie-Anna McFall were the three girls chosen from 130 young women who took part in the Girls on Track event at Silverstone in October, organised by Dare to be Different and Motorsport UK.

The girls will compete for the chance to be among six drivers selected for a European Team that will attend FIA Driver Training Camps, where they will be supported by the FIA through a sporting and educational programme.

Jem said she was “excited” to be selected to represent the UK in the competition.

Jem (17) started karting at the age of 11 in June 2012 at Dunkeswell Kart Circuit.

Jem previously competed in endurance cross country quad racing from the age of eight.

Although successful, with a mass of trophies to show, she wanted to be involved in a sport in which she could improve and go “up the ranks”.

Go karting provided this opportunity and with her dad as a talented mechanic, they decided to give it a go!

As soon as she passed her Association of Racing Kart Schools (ARKS) Test (a compulsory test set by the Motor Sports Association), she started racing as a novice cadet in Honda Class.

Grids were huge and Jem was the only female racer. Novices start at the back of the grid.

Jem competed in five races as a novice before the end of season, winning “Best Rookie” trophy in 2012 at the Dunkeswell Kart club presentation evening.

She also won Best Novice Driver of the Year and South West Novice Champion of the Year.

Season 2014, with Jem reaching 13 years-of-age, saw rules dictate and she was required to leave cadet level and move up a class.

Selling her Honda set was sentimental as she had so many good memories of the two seasons.

She then went for a CRG minimax kart.

Jem got used to bigger, heavier karts and she has been on the winner’s podium many times since.

DORSET WIN

Recently she had a great win at a weekend competition at the Clay Pigeon Kart Club in Dorset, the stomping ground of Jenson Button.

Jem won the Senior Rotax class, which she only joined this year.

She was also a Henry Surtees Teen Racer of the Year 2018 Nominee.