The fastest woman on four wheels

In a dusty classroom in Karachi, Pakistan, a group of schoolgirls sits transfixed, listening to a stranger in their midst.

"You may be told that it is silly to follow your dreams and that there are things you cannot do, but with will, determination and hard work it is possible to fulfil your dreams," the stranger says. And she should know. Burcu Çetinkaya had been told her dreams were fanciful. The discouragement only made her more determined and today the Turkish adrenaline-sports junkie is a professional rally driver, a TV presenter and one of the fastest women on four wheels.

Her recent trip to Pakistan was organised by her sponsor, energy drinks firm Red Bull, and during her time in the country she visited five educational institutions to talk to children. "I spoke about the role of women in sports," explains Burcu, 30. "It was important for me to go there to be an example to the younger generation. I fought a big battle to be able to come as far as I have in my chosen profession. Some people didn't believe in me but I always believed in myself and if I can pass that determination on to others and inspire them, I will.

"Everyone should have ambitions, but often people tell you your dreams are impossible. I heard all this myself. People told me I couldn't be a professional racing driver. It is too dangerous; it is a man's sport. It nearly stopped me, but in the end I fought for what I wanted. Now I try to tell this to people - if you have a dream and you really work hard for it, you can achieve it."

Burcu's interest in motorsport began when she was 12 and her father, who owns a motor transport business, took her to a rally. She was hooked on the adrenaline and became an instant fan.

Article continues below

Uniquely in motorsport, rally spectators are free to walk around the race course and stand as close to the action as they dare. Diehard fans sometimes try to touch the cars as they roar past at over 160 kilometres per hour. Veteran drivers recount stories of returning from course stages with severed spectator fingers stuck in their radiator grills after a fan has got too close. Although safety in the sport has been tightened in recent years this fanaticism still leads to fatalities and the proximity between fan and competitor is what makes rallying the ultimate white-knuckle spectator sport

Burcu's achievements

2003: Won Turkish Ladies Snowboard Championship in both Slalom and Giant Slalom
2005: Istanbul Ladies Rally Champion
2005-2006: Raced in the Volkswagen Polo Ladies Cup
2006: Raced as a Castrol Fiesta Rallye Cup pilot; won the Turkish Ladies Rally Championship; took second place in the Turkish Hill Climb Championship in category 1
2007: Raced as a Castrol Fiesta Rallye Cup Pilot; won the Turkish Ladies Rally Championship
2008: Won the Castrol Fiesta Rallye Cup Championship; won the Turkish Rally Championship Ladies Driver and Class 3; runner-up in the Fiesta Sporting Trophy International
2009: Won the Turkish Ladies Championship; placed first in Grade A
2010: Won the Turkish Ladies Championship

Rally Facts


•The car accelerates from 0-60mph as fast as a Porsche 911 turbo.
•A driver wears a fireproof suit under his racing jumpsuit and can lose 12 litres of fluids a day.
•IRC cars have to be standard four-wheel-drive cars with the same specifications and wheel systems. They have no turbo chargers, no traction control and no electric differentials.
•After each rally the car is disassembled and each component is checked and weighed by race organisers to make sure it meets strict criteria.