Continuing with our grassroots motorsport series, we chat with a brilliant young racing driver who knows a thing or two about driving fast and being at the front. Junior Rotax driver Gracie Mitchell, not only a remarkable talent but also a recipient of our esteemed Driver of the Weekend accolade at the inaugural round of the Ultimate Karting Championship, granted us a captivating glimpse into her world...
C1RCUIT: Hello Gracie, can you tell us a bit more about yourself?
Gracie: Hi, my name is Gracie Mitchell, I am 16 years old and I have been racing for around 5 years and I started shortly after my 11th birthday.
C1RCUIT: What first attracted you to Karting?
Gracie: What first attracted me to karting was during a holiday to Spain where I had a go on a rental kart track. When I came home we recognised a track local where I started to go regularly on their own rental.
C1RCUIT: What is it about karting that you enjoy the most?
Gracie: The thing I enjoy most in karting is probably starting from the back on a mixed grid. I find it really fun for the challenge to make my way to the sharp end of the field from so far back and the many overtakes needed to be made are definitely the exciting part… and of course: winning!
C1RCUIT: Who inspires you to get on track and succeed?
Gracie: The person that inspires me the most to get on track is probably Jessica Hawkins as she’s worked very hard to get herself into the position she is in now and she shows that it is possible to overcome difficulties and get to your dream destination.
C1RCUIT: What is your favourite memory on track so far?
Gracie: My favourite memory on track so far still belongs with my first ever Honda Cadet 200 race win at my local track. When I first purchased my very own kart and began practising at my local track it took me a great deal of time to finally succeed in the level of racing I did at the time. I feel that progressing from a girl who knew nothing about the sport to winning in my own first ever kart shows how it is possible to achieve anything!
C1RCUIT: Which is your favourite motorsport series you enjoy watching?
Gracie: My favourite motorsport series has got to be F1. I enjoy the rivalry within the sport as well as the beauties within the tracks around the world. It’s exciting seeing the driver you support win or come out on top after laps of battling with their biggest rival.
C1RCUIT: Who is your favourite all-time racing driver?
Gracie: I would say that my all-time favourite racing driver would be Daniel Ricardo. I think his attitude and personality is just very exciting and his relationships with other drivers are entertaining. Also, I like how he was always interactive with fans and others. Although he is no longer on the grid - he definitely needs to make a comeback.
C1RCUIT: What is your ultimate ambition you’d like to achieve in motorsport?
Gracie: My ultimate ambition in motorsport would be to create a career out of it. I desire to become a role model to younger drivers or children who want to get into the sport. I want to be someone who other looks up to as motivation for themselves through my success. And finally prove everyone who doubted me wrong!
C1RCUIT: And finally, where can we see you racing for the remainder of 2023?
Gracie: For the remainder of the seasoning, I will be continuing UKC: where I am currently sitting in 9th out of 90 junior drivers. Also, I will be competing in the British Kart Championship. Finally, this year I will be looking to test cars in preparation for selecting a championship to compete in next year!
C1RCUIT: Thank you so much for your time, Gracie, and best of luck for the rest of the season.
Gracie: Thank you for giving me this opportunity to introduce myself and share my story..
You can follow Gracie’s racing online, on Facebook & Instagram -@graciemitchellracing