Aashi selected for Rising Stars Project.

Mumbai’s Aashi selected for Rising Stars Project:

Mumbai's Aashi Hanspal, a 13 year old 9th standard student, a rising star from the Bombay Scottish School in Mahim has been shortlisted as one of twenty young female racers for the shoot out of FIA’s ambitious Girls on Track - Rising Stars Project. If all goes well in the four shootout rounds to be held between This October  to November in France and Italy, this 13 years old can hope to race for Team Ferrari in F4 season. Aashi daughter of  Rallyist Raunaq Singh, a Banker from Mumbai chose Karting since One and half years, but began her professional Karting carrer since one year and coached by 8-time National car racing champion Rayomand Banajee at the Rayo Racing Academy in Mumbai, Aashi recorded four podium finishes by participating in three rounds in her maiden FMSCI JK Tyre National karting Championship 2019 held in Bengaluru, Chennai and Hyderabad. She was also conferred with the Outstanding Women in Motorsports Award 2019 along with Aishwarya Pissay, Muskaan Jubbal, Shreya Lohia and Shravanthika Lakshmi  by FMSCI.

Thirteen-year-old Aashi has been selected along with 19 others in the age group of 12-16 out of 70 entries from five continents; as the first step, she will take part in the ‘Shoot Out’ at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France on October 12 and 13.

The FIA, the world body for  motor sports, said that the training-cum-selection process would entail four legs: 

• Shoot Out – October 12-13, 2020, Paul Ricard, France  - To select Top 12

• Training Camp  1 (Karting) – Oct 14-15, Paul Ricard, France- To select Top 8

• Training Camp  2 (F4) – November 3-4, Paul Ricard, France - To select Final 4 .

• Ferrari Driver Academy Training Camp (F4) – November 9-13 (TBC), Maranello, Italy - To select the winner.

“This is a great moment for women in Indian Motorsport,” Sita Raina, Chairperson of FMSCI’s own Women in Motorsports Commission, said. “Aashi has shown her mettle during the last season and has the potential to become a future star,” she added.

"Should you be successful, you will join our training camps, and potentially have the opportunity to become (Team Ferrari’s) first ever female driver obtaining a partnership agreement with the Ferrari Driver Academy, including participation in an FIA Formula 4 racing season,” Michele Mouton, President of the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, said in her letter to Aashi.

“The dates have been chosen to enable the shortlisted girls to travel from different parts of the world, despite the current travel restrictions due to the corona virus crisis,” Michele Mouton said in her letter.