But it was, and still is, a world dominated by men. And, at times, that had a darker side. Susie, who has just released her autobiography Driven, tells how on one occasion she rebuffed someone who she describes as a powerful figure in F1. He came to her hotel room and tried, unsuccessfully, to get in.
”There was such an imbalance of power. That was someone who had huge power and I remember being scared. But then he did apologise, and I felt at the time that I just had to move on, because that was what the sport was.
“And thankfully for me, it didn’t turn into being anything more sinister, but I’m aware that that’s not always the case for women, and I’m glad that our sport has moved on from that and that now.
“If something like that would happen, you can put your hand up and say, ”Look, this happened” and you will be listened to, and there is someone you can tell.”