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Woman racer Legge completes Minardi
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-24 10:13
LONDON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Former Minardi owner Paul Stoddart complimented
Briton Katherine Legge on Wednesday after she became the first woman in more
than a decade to test a Formula One car.
Britain's Katherine
Legge prepares to start her Formula One test debut with a Minardi car at
Vallelunga race track, north of Rome November 22, 2005.
[Reuters] | "She's definitely got what it takes to
be a Formula One driver," said the Australian after the 25-year-old, who races
in America, completed 27 laps at the Vallelunga circuit near Rome.
Minardi said the Guildford-born racer had set a series of quick and
consistent times after crashing into a concrete wall on Tuesday after just one
lap.
"I expected the unexpected and that's what I got," said Legge. "It was
certainly a lot easier today than yesterday, mainly because I was left alone to
focus on what I had to do.
"I did the best job I could and, bearing in mind my relative lack of
experience, I'm very pleased with the result."
Legge has been racing single-seaters since 2000 and won three races in the
U.S. Toyota Atlantic series this year, finishing third overall.
"Everything is different -- the brakes, the power, the downforce, the
technology. It's just like nothing I have ever driven before," she said.
The test was a pre-existing arrangement between Stoddart and ChampCar boss
and Cosworth co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven before the Australian sold Minardi to Red
Bull.
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