Two weeks ago grammar school student Beitske Visser netted the victory in the GT1 category during the Dutch Supercar Challenge at Assen, despite receiving a traditional 25 second penalty for novice drivers and a drive-through penalty for a fast pit-stop. Two Corvettes took second and third place.

A day later Visser, for whom this was the first race in a real car, had to give up due to technical problems. In both races the girl from Dronten drove an Attack Praga R4 GT1, a Czech brand.

Visser had already built a name for herself in international kart racing, and hopes to one day progress to Formula One.

Sixteen is also the age at which American Danica Patrick, arguably the most famous female race car driver at the moment, switched from karts to Formula Ford (a British category).

(Photo: Beitskevisser.com)