Discussion
Anyone else follow her exploits via social media or elsewhere?
I've been keeping an eye on her racing career for a couple of years now as there's something about the whole "plucky underdog" thing that appeals. She's just returned from a successful WRC Rally Germany where a 3rd in her WRC3 class has moved her up to 7th overall. (Report from Kent Sports News here)
As with many racers it's the lack of budget that seems to be a huge stumbling block for progressing further. She and co-driver Stefan Davis slept in the recce car during the Germany event as funds were short. This also meant that testing was non-existent and the first time she drove the car was at the shakedown.
They resorted to using crowdfunding and a very last-minute sponsorship deal from Be Wiser and NGK to even get to the start gate at this round. (Yes, I did put a few quid in the pot and will happily do it again should the need arise)
Despite lack of testing, a puncture, a broken handbrake and warped front disks she still managed another podium, so there's obviously pace there and she's not just making up the numbers which makes me wonder why sponsorship is proving so hard to get. I guess one of many looking for the same thing.
Turkey next and hopefully she'll make the start. She seems to be popular with the rally fans and you might remember when her front bumper was returned to her when it became detached during last year's Rally Sweden. That wasn't just a publicity stunt, it's an expensive piece of the car. On the same rally she also gained some fame when her bonnet popped open while airborne over Colin's Crest.
I've been keeping an eye on her racing career for a couple of years now as there's something about the whole "plucky underdog" thing that appeals. She's just returned from a successful WRC Rally Germany where a 3rd in her WRC3 class has moved her up to 7th overall. (Report from Kent Sports News here)
As with many racers it's the lack of budget that seems to be a huge stumbling block for progressing further. She and co-driver Stefan Davis slept in the recce car during the Germany event as funds were short. This also meant that testing was non-existent and the first time she drove the car was at the shakedown.
They resorted to using crowdfunding and a very last-minute sponsorship deal from Be Wiser and NGK to even get to the start gate at this round. (Yes, I did put a few quid in the pot and will happily do it again should the need arise)
Despite lack of testing, a puncture, a broken handbrake and warped front disks she still managed another podium, so there's obviously pace there and she's not just making up the numbers which makes me wonder why sponsorship is proving so hard to get. I guess one of many looking for the same thing.
Turkey next and hopefully she'll make the start. She seems to be popular with the rally fans and you might remember when her front bumper was returned to her when it became detached during last year's Rally Sweden. That wasn't just a publicity stunt, it's an expensive piece of the car. On the same rally she also gained some fame when her bonnet popped open while airborne over Colin's Crest.
Weslake-Monza said:
Louise has worked at fund raising including sponsorship and where others run out of talent she 'only' runs out of money. I hope some big name companies give her the backing she needs and deserves.
Perhaps she would have more success finding sponsorship if she had more talent and was achieving better results. Good on her for enjoying her rallying, but she doesn't appear to be competing at a level to justify other people paying for it.FredericRobinson said:
DanielSan said:
There’s no bigger t
ttish thing to do than use crowd funding for your hobby.
It's just another form of sponsorship, which if you don't have personal wealth is how virtually all Motorsport is fundedttish thing to do than use crowd funding for your hobby. Weslake-Monza said:
Louise has worked at fund raising including sponsorship and where others run out of talent she 'only' runs out of money. I hope some big name companies give her the backing she needs and deserves.
Looking at that first picture in the OP I’d say talent was ran out of somewhere along the stage for the car to be missing it’s front end before the bonnet came up 
Enjoying the "hobby" comments. It's as though some are trying to insist that motorsport really is something more serious than grown-ups simply playing cars. Whether it's banger racing down the local track or F1 in exotic places, strip away the glitzy bits and it's just a bunch of enthusiasts going Brrmmm every weekend.
Robmarriott said:
It’s not sponsorship, sponsorship works because the sponsor receives something in return, whether it’s stickers on a car, hospitality at an event, an appearance at a corporate dinner... crowdfunding is literally just getting money from people because you can’t get it anywhere else.
And the people doing the crowdfunding get their self-rewards, just like giving to charity etc etc. Can't really understand the hate.Weslake-Monza said:
Louise has worked at fund raising including sponsorship and where others run out of talent she 'only' runs out of money. I hope some big name companies give her the backing she needs and deserves.
This is a joke right? Are we talking about the same driver, which I saw with my own eyes, stop at a watersplash on the Acropolis before going through it?I get all this, never giving up and giving it a go etc. But she would have a much more enjoyable and stress free life if she just settled for a bit of BRC/BTRDA rally! There are much more talented and deserving drivers out there who deserve sponsorship.
It sounds harsh, but it's true.
There's a lot of PR gloss in what Louise does, but I can't help but admire the sheer amount of backing she's found.
I say that as someone who's involved in trying to get a fairly well known motoring personality to the start line of Rally GB, the comment above about the UK being a media black hole has really hit home with this endeavour as literally nothing is coming out of the calls/meetings etc.
Great shame as ironically having this person there would actually put rallying into the main stream once more ...
I say that as someone who's involved in trying to get a fairly well known motoring personality to the start line of Rally GB, the comment above about the UK being a media black hole has really hit home with this endeavour as literally nothing is coming out of the calls/meetings etc.
Great shame as ironically having this person there would actually put rallying into the main stream once more ...
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