A mechanical failure at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course left Emily Linscott fearing a premature end to her race season because of the huge financial implications of buying a replacement power unit.
The Bubbly Brit from Essex, UK, who races in the Formula 4 United States Championship Powered by Honda, lost her powerplant in Thursday’s first practice at Mid Ohio, giving her Kiwi Motorsports Team a challenge to get it swapped out for Linscott to get some track time on what is the most technical circuit on the calendar.
Linscott’s father, Mark, who had been flown to the track by the TV Production company, Team Whistle, to surprise her, had to have an impromptu meeting with the team principle and then Emily’s mentor and coach, Pippa Mann, about how the new engine would be paid for.
The producer said: “Pippa and I decided that the only sensible option was to use the money we had paid the team for Round 4 at Brainerd, to miss that round, and aim to regroup for VIR in September and see if we could raise the rest of the budget to race there.”
Linscott felt this was likely to bring an end to her season…but for a selfless gesture by a "gentleman driver" who heard the news and chose to write a check there and then for the new engine.
“Pippa and I both cried when he gave us the check, we were so stunned that he wanted nothing more than to help when it was truly needed. He couldn’t have timed his kindness any better! “said an emotional Linscott.
The Team rose to the challenge by swapping the power units in record time to have Linscott back on track for the final F4 session of the day for some vital practice. She drove just three laps, leaving her with very little knowledge of the technical track layout.
To compound her woes, Linscott’s car then suffered another unrelated mechanical issue in Friday morning’s Official practice, qualifying was cancelled due to substantial flooding of the circuit following a storm, leaving the young driver to start her races with almost no time on track.
With everything seemingly conspiring to halt her season, Linscott, perhaps understandably, suffered a loss of confidence when she finally got to race.
“It’s a lot for any athlete to take on at the best of times but when you know your season is financially hanging by a thread, it doesn’t allow you to drive to your full potential," said Mark Linscott.
He continued, “Pippa sat Emily down after Race 2 and went back to basics, having her write notes on a track map to get her head back in the game. It seemed to work as she drove much more like the hard charger we all know and love.”
“This was a tough weekend for me,” said Linscott. “With everything else that went on and a track that changes this much is not something I’ve ever had to deal with before, but I’ll learn from it and be stronger in the future. Right now, I’m focused on round four at Brainerd, learning another new track, and looking forward to getting back up towards the top ten.”
Not the weekend Emily or her team wanted, but one where an incredible individual decided to intervene in a positive way to keep Emily’s weekend, and season, going for little bit longer this year. "Thank you" just doesn't seem to cover it!
Linscott heads to Round 4 of the F4 US Championship at Brainerd, Minnesota, on July 16-18th 2021.
Note to editors:
Emily is one of the most promising young racing drivers in the UK.
Started in karts in 2016 at 13, making her car racing debut in the Ginetta Junior Championship in August 2017, exactly 1 year to the day of her first official MSA Kart race.
Competed in her first full season in the Ginetta Juniors in 2018, earning her International licence later that same year at the age of just 15.
She took two 2nd place podium finishes, pole position, fastest laps in two races, and set a new lap record at the NCM Circuit in Kentucky, USA, racing a single seater race car for only the second time in her career.
Secured a podium finish in her first ever race in the GT4 at Oulton Park, UK, and spectacularly won back-to-back GT4 races at Brands Hatch 2019
At just 17, Emily “moved” to America in 2020, alone, during the COVID-19 Pandemic, to race. She finished 7th in the Lucas Formula Car Championship after missing the first three races.
One of two recipients of the PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship for F4 US in 2021. She has “moved” to Indianapolis, USA, until the end of her US race season.
Linscott is planning her career path around racing in the IndyCar Championship and the Indy500 in the US whilst keeping her options open for the FIA route to F1.
Mentored and coached in the United States by fellow Brit, and Indy500 driver, Pippa Mann.
Emily is will feature in a 6-part TV Docuseries in 2022 called “Making (Her)Story” following the story of three female athletes blazing trails in male-dominated sports.
Photo credit to Amy Lentz Photography
