FEATURE
Gary Plimer Photography
Ada Watts
Club : Saltire Rally Club Event : Autotest
“ I ’ ve always been interested in cars , and my dad and his friend Will have been taking part in Autotests , Navigational Rallies and track days at Knockhill over the past 10 years . I ’ ve always enjoyed helping them with their cars , and the videos Dad showed me of them driving looked great fun .
“ They made it sound really exciting , so I became interested in giving it a go and when I turned 14 last summer , I joined the Saltire Rally Club . As soon as the opportunity came to join them on an Autotest at Errol in Perthshire , I jumped at the chance – even though I didn ’ t have any previous experience .
Ada printed out the course plan to help her navigate
“ Before going to the event , I watched some YouTube videos to see how it was done , and I also had the chance to practice driving the car on private land through a set of practice courses that my dad and Will set up . That preparation really helped me to learn the basics of driving and what to expect at the event .
“ When I got there , it was a bit daunting at first , but it ’ s very friendly and everyone was very encouraging at the event . There were four different runs , and I walked the courses with my dad so I could work out the best routes . I also printed out each course and taped them to the dashboard , which was a real help while I was driving .
“ I was scared when I was on the start line the first time , but the marshals were very encouraging . I was driving a Nissan Micra , and I had Will in the car with me , who is very patient and helped me to get through it . When I finished my first run , I was buzzing . It may not have been the quickest time , but I had had a clean run .
“ I became more confident during the day and all the female marshals were cheering me on because I was the youngest female taking part . I have already done another one since , and I want to do more because it is giving me great insight into motorsport in a safe environment . I tried indoor karting last summer and I enjoyed it , but driving in a car is more fun !”
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Revolution - March 2025