Friendships Forged in Fierce Competition

From the initial tension to the camaraderie that blossomed, the drivers, hailing from thirteen countries and diverse backgrounds, found common ground in their shared passion for the sport. Despite language barriers, they connected through shared experiences, mutual support, and a genuine desire to succeed.

Finalist Ann Felke highlighted the importance of friendship in easing the pressure and creating a supportive environment.
"It's been important [to have created friendships] because it means you don’t feel the pressure," she explained. "It almost doesn’t feel like much of a competition, but of course, it is a huge competition with a big prize at the end. It's nice that you can still talk to everyone, and they all have a smile, it makes it much easier."

Aoife Raftery was equally as buoyed by the atmosphere in camp. "We are all chasing the same prize here, and we all know the opportunity that lies ahead, but even so, everyone has been so great and been so kind to each other and I think working well together too," she said.

"Everyone has shown sportsmanship across the last few days and there has been never any problem asking any of the girls a question, we are all happy to help each other and share information."

One of the most striking aspects of the friendships formed was the way they transcended cultural and language barriers. Mako Hirakowa, despite her limited English, actively initiated conversations using a translation device and formed a bond with Lebanese driver Joanna Hassoun that helped them both navigate the challenges of the competition.

"It was a lot of fun to talk about things unique to women, like personal conversations and concerns about racing," said Mako. "We shared our worries and thoughts and even gave each other advice. These kinds of relationships are very important to me. Thanks to them, I am enjoying this project even more."

Joanna also found the friendships to be invaluable. "For sure I have made a friend with Mako, and whenever I’ve been stressed or thinking too much, I feel like I can talk to her, and I forget my stress. It's been nice in this project to have friends, even if they are your competitors, they are only competitors when we are behind the wheel."

As the days progressed, the smiles widened and the full extent of the characters in the group emerged. Rallying by its very nature is a team sport, and the process felt like one team rather than fifteen individual candidates.

Sadly, 12 talented females went away from the shootout disappointed. However, the overwhelming attitude from every one of them shone through. "It's not like we have known each other for years but I think we will all keep in contact and maybe we have friendships for a long time to come," said Alexandra Maria Teslovan. "It was great to meet them all, they were amazing people."

Now, Lyssia Baudet, Claire Schönborn and Suvi Jyrkiäinen prepare for the next chapter of the Programme as they contest the Central European Rally [17-20 October] in M-Sport Poland Ford Fiesta Rally3s.