Reigning British Sprint Champion Heather Calder will get behind the wheel of a BRDC British F3 car at Snetterton today, with the Lanan Racing team.

The Scottish driver has won Motorsport UK’s premier title in sprinting for the past two years at the wheel of a 680 horsepower V8-powered Gould GR55 single-seater. Her 2018 title was secured by four points over her nearest rival – her father Colin – himself a four-time British Sprint Champion!

Sprinting is a high-speed discipline in which drivers set times over one lap of a circuit, with the fastest times determining the results. Each competitor is given two runs against the clock, with the best time counting in the final results. With limited running, it means there is plenty of pressure to get it right, in a format similar to the one-lap shootout qualifying system seen in F1 over a decade ago.

Calder’s car can hit 100mph from a standing start in less than four seconds, and reach a top speed of around 180mph. She has previous of experience of Snetterton too, having set a category lap record around two laps of the 100 circuit in 2017.

Her drive in the Lanan Racing British F3 Tatuus Cosworth car comes courtesy of MSV Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer, who recognised her achievements in the British Sprint Championship at the recent Motorsport UK Awards.

She is now preparing for her first experience of British F3 machinery, and is hugely looking forward to her experience.

“Today’s test day will be very different to sprinting,” she commented. “I’m excited to take on a new challenge and absorb as much as I can, working with the team to get to grips with the car.

“I’ve had a look at the lap times, and if I can progress as the day goes on then I’ll be happy. It’s a completely new car and very different to my V8 beast that I’m used to, but there’s no pressure on me. There’s a lot to learn but it’s an amazing and surreal opportunity and I can’t wait to get out there!”



MSV Chief Executive Jonathan Palmer said: "When I attended the recent Motorsport UK annual awards I was hugely impressed to see that Heather Calder had won the British Sprint championship, and for the second time, taming an awesome 650bhp single seater. She is clearly quite a talent and on the evening I asked if she was interested in testing a British F3 car and to my delight she jumped at the chance.

"I have the highest respect for champions of all the rich variety of motorsport disciplines we have in the UK, and the main purpose of the opportunity is just to let Heather sample the different skill of circuit racing, in recognition of her sprinting success.”

The British F3 website and social media feeds will bring coverage of Heather’s test throughout the day tomorrow.

Image courtesy of FlatOut Photography