Racing queen is youngest to compete in touring contest

A STUDENT at a Caversham school is set to take the racing world by storm after having become the youngest to participate in the British Touring Car Championship.

Katia Loggie, who studies in the Lower Sixth Form at Queen Anne’s in Caversham, passed her racing car drivers test and received her license at 17.

She has now signed with EXCELR8, multiple-time champion racing team in the British Touring Car Championship, with only a brief spell in kart racing at Boyndie for on-track experience.

It means that Katia will now be going head-to-head with fellow racers at some of the UK’s most famous race tracks, including Silverstone and Brands Hatch, and is due to compete at Snetterton later this month.

As well as signing up for the team, she is also working with Girls on Track, a joint initiative between the Federation International de l’Automobile and Motorsport UK which aims to inspire women to take part in motorsports.

She also gave an assembly at her school, Queen Anne’s, talking about her experiences as a racing driver with members of the Lower and Upper 4th.

Katia has already competed in her debut races after securing finishes at Brands Hatch in the Vertu Motors MINI Challenge during Easter.

She said: “I’m racing with the reigning BTCC champions, Excelr8 Motorsport, in the Vertu Motors Mini Challenge, where I am the youngest girl to ever compete the series.

“I’m a BTCC development driver for Exelr8 Motorsport and Bristol Street Motors where they are setting me up with the plan of being the first female world champion.

“I am also a part of the Williams Racing Early Careers programme.”

The EXCELR8’s team owner, Justina Williams, said that

Katia has “a huge amount of determination and we are delighted to welcome her into the team.”

She explained that while joining was “a big step for a rookie,” the team was “looking forward to working with her during the season ahead to realise her goals, and are excited to see what she can achieve on track.”