Another glass ceiling has been broken in the motorsport world.
The group operating the three Tony Quinn-owned motor racing circuits in New Zealand has appointed the first female professional driver to their line-up of hot lap drivers and driving instructors.
Former multiple kart racing championship winner, recently turned GT4 race car driver Rianna O’Meara-Hunt will be driving for Hamptons, Highlands and Taupo Motorsport Parks when she’s not racing in the United States.
Her appointment comes on top of a whirlwind 12 months during which the 21-year-old from near Wellington switched from competitive karting to car racing after she won the Heart of Racing driver academy. That provided her with a season of racing in the one-make Toyota 86 championship.
"The move to cars was a pretty quick turnaround and it was a bit harder than I thought at first.
"But by the end of last year I got on top of it."
That led her to the US for an international shootout competition for a seat in an all-female race team to contest the 2023 SRO GT4 championship.
O’Meara-Hunt made her pro drive debut for the team at Highlands where she got behind the wheel of its Ferrari hot lap car, the Highlands Taxi, and offers instruction from the passenger seat in the U Drive Ford Mustang muscle car or the Radical sports car.
She hoped being in the pro driver line-up may encourage more women to take part in the Highlands experiences.
"Maybe some women will see another doing it and it’ll give them confidence to do it.
"I had a female customer for hot laps and she really enjoyed it, and it was cool to be in the car with another female because it doesn’t happen too often."
The track time she gets as a pro driver is an advantage for her racing.
"Still, being in a car when I’m not actually able to race is important.
"It kind of lets you hone in on your driving skills while you’re doing these hot laps, even though it’s at a slower pace it still means you have to get the key points right."
Highlands chief executive Josie Spillane said O’Meara-Hunt’s appointment came at a milestone time.
"She’s certainly earnt her seat so to speak and we are really proud that we have our first female pro driver.
"I’ve no doubt Rianna is creating an inspirational pathway for our young drivers in New Zealand and will deliver memorable, edge of your seat experiences for our guests the length of New Zealand."
She heads to NOLA Motorsports Park in Arizona in a fortnight for the second round of the SRO GT4 championship.
- odt.editorial@alliedpress.co.nz. Photo supplied.
