RISING star Hannah Chapman has vowed to motor through the pack in her second season on the grid.
The Mini driver is hoping to once again line up in the JCW class of the Mini Challenge series when the new season gets under way next month.
A change of team and a year of learning the tracks under her belt, Chapman is determined to move in the right direction.
She said: “My aim is always progression.
“For me, I’m hoping there is going to be a big leap in performance for myself.
“I’ve got a new-found confidence that all my hard work over the winter means I am going to be a lot further forward than I was last year.
“As long as I am progressing, I want to make a big jump forward.
“Everybody wants to move forward and win but you also have to be realistic.
“Ultimately, my goal is to be on the podium and the top step but it is early days.
“It is only my second full season that I am going into and I will keep working my way up, earn my stripes and prove I am a serious contender and not somebody near the bottom end of the grid.”
The Mini Challenge series will once again be supporting the British Touring Car Championships (BTCC).
Twenty rounds are planned, beginning at Donington Park before heading to Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Knockhill, Snetterton, Silverstone and finishing on the Brands Hatch GP circuit.
Chapman, 28, has linked up with the Hybrid Tune team for the upcoming season.
Now, Chapman, originally of Dunbar, is busy working to secure the finances needed to compete at the top level of Mini racing in Britain.
Sponsorship and investors need to be found before the first green light at Donington.
She added: “Now is the time of year when you are pulling everything together.”
Last season ended in October but Chapman, who now lives in Aberdeen, has not been sitting with her feet up. Instead, she has been busy getting ready for pre-season testing and the new campaign getting under way.
She said: “It has been a bit of a rollercoaster, if I am honest. It is never a fun time.
“When we are not racing, us racing drivers tend not to know what to do with ourselves.
“I have done some go-karting, keeping sharp and keeping fit, and it has gone by quickly.
“There are a lot of things going on behind the scenes – joining Hybrid Tune, finding budgets and sponsorship packages.
“It has been busy but I’m trying to stay positive.
“I have started working with a mind coach and hopefully that has a good effect on my driving when I get back on the track.
“During the off-season, it is really important to try to keep momentum going.
“You are putting yourself on the front foot and it is just important to keep the hard work going.
“Some people put their feet up and recharge but it is definitely good to work on the fitness, stay fit and strong, and be in a good place mentally over the winter months.”
The former Dunbar Grammar School pupil started go-kart racing at Raceland, near Gladsmuir.
Since then, she has raced in a number of different categories of Mini racing and come to love the cars and competition.
She said: “There have always been such fierce battles. There are massive grids and they are real crowd pleasers.
“Everybody just loves to watch them and they know it is going to be really, really good racing.”
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