How Coby is inspiring the next generation
As the niece of Derek Daly, plus a World Cup silver-medal-winning hockey star and a racing engineer, Nicci Daly was immaculately qualified to found Formula Female. Via its Go Girls initiative it aims to introduce over 1000 Irish girls to motorsport via karting and STEM education.
And Alyx Coby is integral. “For these girls to feel like it’s something that they can do representation is really important, so we have role models like Alyx,” Daly tells MN. “Alyx is a big part of showing young girls that this is a possibility for them. She would talk to the girls about her own career, how she got involved in the sport, and how inclusive it is for girls.”
And Coby gets something in return. “Having successful female role models is important so we are very much supporting Alyx,” Daly explains. “I’ve been helping her with her strength, conditioning, mental preparation, basically everything that comes along with wanting to get the best out of yourself.
“I’ve been really impressed with her. I was in France with her for the Ladies Cup and she was phenomenal. In Ireland they don’t do qualifying like they do in Europe so for her to qualify third was incredible.
“The best way to inspire the next generation is to do something quite amazing and in Alyx we have the potential to do something quite amazing and get her to the W Series. Off my own experience of what the Irish women’s hockey team did in the World Cup, we had thousands and thousands of young girls signing up to hockey clubs as a result. It’s possible to do it again for motorsport. She’s a great girl, she’s so motivated, she’s confident and she’s doing everything she can.”