This is a good news story about women’s participation in a 'blokey' sport.
The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) has announced four women to be the first ambassadors of an exciting new campaign "Dare To Be Different" (D2BD) aimed at increasing women’s participation in motor sport at all levels.
Simona De Silvestro, Betty Klimenko, Romy Mayer and Molly Taylor have all been confirmed as Australia’s first D2BD Ambassadors.
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L-R: D2BD Ambassadors Simona
De Silvestro and Romy Mayer
The initiative will help young girls from around Australia understand the opportunities that await them in the motor sport industry, whether it is as a driver, engineer, mechanic or one of the many other roles in a growing industry.
The not-for-profit organisation aims to inspire and celebrate women in every aspect of motor sport and hopes to change the preconceptions of a male-dominated sport by increasing women's participation to spark change.
CAMS mission in creating the program is to:
INSPIRE the next generation to smash preconceptions and prejudices, raising the curtain on a new era in which daring to do something different is praised and encouraged
CONNECT girls and young women who have ‘dared to be different’ and are willing to spark change
SHOWCASE those who have 'dared to be different' and are role models of change
Supercars driver Simona De Silvestro is excited about her ambassadorial role. The Swiss-born racer became the first full-time female driver in the Supercars era last year when she joined Nissan Motorsport in a multi-year deal.
“I am very proud to be joining the D2BD program as an ambassador. This is an exciting time to inspire and help young girls achieve their dreams especially in motorsport,” De Silvestro said.
Romy Mayer, Red Bull Holden Racing Team’s Performance and Data Engineer said she hoped to inspire young females to see motor sport as a future career option.
“It’s about opening doors and showing them that they have all the support they need if they dare to be different. I wish someone would have showed me earlier how cool it is to be an engineer. I’m proud that I can the support younger generation with this program.”
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L-R: D2BD Ambassadors Betty Klimenko and Molly Taylor are looking forward to bringing in more women to motor racing
The 2016 CAMS Australian Rally Champion Molly Taylor said she was proud to be part of D2BD.
“There's a whole world of opportunities in motor sport and how far you take it ultimately comes down to your desire and work ethic, not gender. To be able to help other girls experience the thrill of the sport and share that same passion is something pretty special."
Erebus Motorsport Team Owner Betty Klimenko said being an ambassador was a great opportunity to help young females understand how they can also be involved in the sport.
“I was the first female team owner to enter the sport off my own bat, the first one to win Bathurst and just because I’m the first, doesn’t mean I should be the last. I think it’s important young girls understand they can make an impact in a male dominated industry.”
For more information about the D2BD campaign, contact CAMS here.
Jasmine Richwol
Communications and Marketing Manager, Vicsport
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