Australia’s strong cohort of young female racing drivers has shone at home and abroad, with a former F1 Academy driver achieving consecutive podiums on her Japanese debut and, history made in the GT4 Australia.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Victorian Joanne Cictone made a successful start to racing in Japan with consecutive second-place finishes during the opening round of this year’s Kyojo Cup.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cictone, a former F1 Academy driver, qualified second on the grid and maintained that position during the 10-lap sprint and 15-lap final race at the famed Fuji Speedway.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“Strong way to open the season,” Cictone said following the opening weekend of the all-female racing series.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“New season, new style of racing, and a lot to take in \u2014 but really happy with how quickly we adapted and put it together.<\/p>\n
“Huge credit to the team for the effort and support all the way through.”\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fellow Australian Paige Raddatz also made her debut in the Kyojo Cup last weekend. Raddatz qualified 15th fastest, before finishing 14th and 15th in the sprint and final race.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Gold Coast teenager Summer Rintoule created history at The Bend in South Australia last weekend, combining with co-driver Jarrod Hughes to win Sunday’s final GT4 Australia race.<\/p>\n
The duo started 17th on the grid, and 13th in the Silver Cup class, but navigated the safety car-affected race to claim the outright victory in their McLaren Artura GT4.<\/p>\n
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The victory makes Rintoule the first female driver to claim an outright victory in the GT4 Australia. Zoe Woods was the first female driver to win a race in her class at Sydney Motorsport Park in 2024, competing in the GT4 Australia Pro-Am category.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got a lot of seconds last year but unfortunately no firsts, so this is the first of hopefully many this year for us,\u201d Rintoule said, as reported by publication Speedcafe<\/a>.<\/p>\n