Oakham to sponsor Louise Cook for the World Rally Championship 2018!

We are extremely proud to sponsor Louise in her efforts to win the World Rally Championship in 2018.  Louise has battled relentlessly to finance her racing career, even selling her trophies to raise vital funds. 

Louise got her first taste of driving when her late father, Robert Cook, bought her a battery-powered car on her 6th birthday. Louise and her pet rabbit would drive around for hours until the battery went flat. She crashed into the conservatory twice, and two garden fences.

Louise first experienced rally driving while studying for a degree in Automotive Design at Coventry University. She entered a competition to win a drive and amazingly achieved 2nd place out of 1,000 women, having no previous experience of motorsport. This gave her the confidence to gain her racing licence and enter her first ever rally – thanks to her student loan.

Keen to finance a career in rallying, Louise started selling small advertising spaces on her rally car, together with the offer of prizes.  Approaching local businesses, she managed to find 300 supportive companies, and this helped launch Louise’s first season and career underway in 2010.

Sacrifices had to be made, and Louise sold her much loved Ford car to get to the 1st round.  She resigned from a secure full-time job to commit fully, and more recently has sold her trophies on ebay all to fund her career.

Louise’s ultimate goal is to become the first female World Rally Champion.

Louise has a history of achieving her goals:

2012: To be the 1st female to gain a non-female FIA Rally Title – Achieved FIA WRC Production Car Cup Champion
2012: To be top ten in Production World Rally Championship – Achieved 8th Place
2011: Top five Fiesta Sport Trophy UK – Achieved 2nd Place from 13 and became British Rally Championship Ladies Champion
2010: Top ten BRCC – Achieved 10th and became BRCC RC4 Champion
2009: To get to compete first full season in 2010 – Achieved in 2010.

We wish her every success in 2018 and beyond.

See Louise’s website

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