Patricia Ortigueira -Patri to her friends- is 17 years old and has extensive experience as a kart driver. She's already tasted competitive racing and is passionate about it - could we be looking at a future karting star?
Yumping.- Patricia, have you been involved in karting for long?
Patricia Ortigueira.- Truthfully, I've only been competing for about 2 years but I've been in the karting world since 2005, so that's 6 years enjoying the adrenaline rush of driving a kart.
Y.- When did you start competing?
P.O.- I first competed in 2005 in cadets, but only did one race... Then in 2008 I did the Valencian championship in KF3 and continued in 2009 with just 2 races. This year I completed the entire Copa Valles championship, so... you couldn't really say I've been competing every year since 2005.
Y.- Do you have many driver friends or is karting too competitive?
P.O.- Well, on the track we're not friends, but off-track we're always together. Even though I'm a girl, I have great driver friends who support me loads, though on track we all try to win. Honestly, my best friends are a female driver and a driver's sister, and with the lads it's the same, nearly all are drivers...
The only downside is I see them often during the season but when it ends most live far away so we can't spend as much time together. But whenever I need them I can count on them; I can't complain (laughs). Truth is karting makes you grow both as a driver and as a person.
Y.- With your experience, you must have a top coach, right?
P.O.- Yes, my brother helps me and has taught me everything I know, as he also drives occasionally. Plus, he's been my mechanic in some races - those were actually the races where I felt most relaxed and performed best.
Y.- Who motivated you to take this up?
P.O.- My dad told me to get in a kart for the first time; though I wasn't keen, I did it because my brother also raced and I wanted to try. Since I couldn't properly reach the wheel or pedals, my brother put a cushion and a block on the accelerator - that's how I started. My mum doesn't like it but I have to admit she's my biggest supporter.
Y.- Who's your idol?
P.O.- The obvious answer would be Alonso, right? (laughs). I don't know, I admire many drivers... You actually meet so many in single-seater categories or who've been there (Javi Tarancon, Javi Villa, Germán Sánchez...) that you learn from all of them.
Y.- How do you balance studies with competition?
P.O.- This year we barely had budget to race so I trained little to none, making it easy to balance: weekdays studying, weekends training. This year I don't think I'll race as there's no money and we haven't found sponsors, so we'll train when possible - should be easier...
Y.- Would you like to study at university later? What would you do if you stopped driving?
P.O.- I'm doing my first year of A-Levels and after the second year I want to study at Monlau-competition. In the future? If I can't race, I'd like to stay in motorsport, so I'd try to work in mechanics.
Y.- How do you see motorsport for women?
P.O.- Honestly, on track we're all equal. I think motorsport is tough for everyone, though the hardest part for us is perhaps not having the same strength and physical endurance as men, but with hard work anything's possible.
I remember one training day when another girl and I were walking through the paddock and a bloke said to his mate: "Look, it's two girls!"
Y.- Where would you like to be in ten years?
P.O.- Working as a mechanic and racing in some motorsport cup.
