Misir wants to inspire next wave of female drivers

FORMULA WOMAN driver Sara Misir is happy with the increased inclusivity being witnessed in motorsport, heightened by her third-straight win as the RJRGLEANER Female Athlete of the Year in the category.

Of course, Misir is also happy with the recognition of her hard work, having made a clean sweep of the motorsport category, winning in 2021 and 2022.

“I think it’s a great nomination, especially since it’s a male-dominated sport, so to have a female award for it has been amazing, and you know I’m not the only female in Jamaica racing. There are a lot of girls getting into rally and circuit, so I’m really hoping that they keep pushing and keep going because they’re really amazing and it’s just an honour to represent women in the sport.”

Unlike many of her fellow drivers, Misir had not got into the sport when she was a child, which left her trailing behind her competitors early in her career.

Now, she stands as a trailblazer in her field, a fact she credited to her hard work and dedication.

“I started at a very late age. I started at 18 or 19 years old, so I entered the sport very late, so it has been very hard for me to get up to pace. It’s still very hard work to be keeping up with guys who have been in the seat since they have been four or five years old, but it’s something that I have to keep my mind disciplined for and it’s been going really well.”

Misir described herself as a disciplined driver and hopes that she can prove an inspiration for young girls who want to pursue motorsport as a career.

She explained that in the past, she had faced heavy biases against her, but now believes that major progress has been made with female inclusion. She said that in recent years, she has been well received when racing in Jamaica by male drivers and the fans of the sport.

“It’s been an honour to be a pioneer for this sport, to show the girls that are coming up that they can imagine this career for themselves. It is a hard one because of course, it is still male-dominated and can be very biased; however, I’m hoping that I’m only leaving positive impressions,” she said.

“The racing environment isn’t as toxic as it used to be and it’s actually very welcoming when I race here at Dover in Jamaica and at Jamwest. It’s so much fun and all the guys there are always so supportive and the crowd is so amazing in terms of support, and I really hope they can see that it’s an opportunity that they can take advantage of.”