I'm 16, I race in South African F4, and have dedicated my entire life into becoming the first South African female in Formula 1.

Go Follow @giannapascoal_official on Instagram Trained and coached by four-time world karting champion Wesleigh Orr through Worr Motorsport, Pascoal quickly established herself as a frontrunner in ROK and Rotax karting championships, before moving into international competition. She has represented South Africa internationally, become the first South African woman driver selected for the FIA Karting Academy senior category and earned a place in the prestigious More than Equal Driver Development Programme. Yet of all her achievements, it is the speed of her progression that makes her most proud, and her support system has been central in making it happen. Alongside Orr, Pascoal’s parents Lisa and Jony have supported her in balancing online school with the demands of elite racing, which included getting that valuable initial seat time. “My dad used to take me to the track five days a week and I used to set 150 laps a day,” said Pascoal. “And they had to be really, really good laps in a kart and that’s how I caught up so quickly.” When Gianna Pascoal first climbed into a racing kart at 11-years-old, many of the drivers she would eventually come up against had already spent years behind the wheel honing their skills. She had a lot of catching up to do. But with a passion for the sport and a strong support system behind her, Pascoal was determined to close the gap. “They’d all been racing for eight years when I joined. I’d been racing for eight weeks at that point,” she said. Five years later, the South African teenager has risen from a newcomer at her local karting circuit to one of the country’s most promising young motorsport talents. The 16-year-old is now taking the next step as she transitions from karting into Formula 4 (F4) racing, with the ultimate ambition of reaching Formula 1. But Pascoal’s journey into motorsport did not begin with a lifelong obsession with racing. In fact, she was a competitive diver and looking to qualify for the Junior Olympics. However, in February 2021, Pascoal’s father had taken her to the Formula K track in Benoni after he had gone with her cousins and was instantly hooked. Unlike her father, Pascoal’s love of the sport was not instant, but she kept returning because she enjoyed spending time with him. “I know I’m meant to say I really loved the sport straight away, but I didn’t,” she said. “I enjoyed spending time with my dad. But as we started going to the track more and more, I started to feel that need for speed and I just found my passion for it.” Just three months later, Pascoal entered her first race. #f1 #southafrica #f4 #formula4 #worrmotorsport @PREMA TEAM sign her @F1 Academy