The high-speed world of motorsports has long been dominated by men, but the tide is turning as more women break down boundaries and make their mark in numerous aspects of the sport.

These days, exciting talents such as Sara Misir are making waves in motorsports.

Misir, 26, is a Jamaican race car driver who competes in the British Grand Touring (GT) Cup Championship with McLaren Customer Racing’s Formula Woman Team.

She exemplifies the combination of elegance and technique in the sport. She has not only captured hearts with her outstanding driving talent but many can’t look past her gorgeous appearance. Her journey into sports at a young age and her impressive grasp of the discipline have made her an iconic figure. Misir is also a symbol of women’s presence in motorsports.

Misir, who was born at the Nuttall Hospital in St Andrew on January 29, 1998, first represented Jamaica as a junior equestrian. In preparation for the Pan American Games at 16 years old, Misir suffered an accident, falling from her horse. Her skull and jaw were fractured, requiring five procedures. Her jaw was wired shut, and a portion of her face was paralysed.

Misir spent eight months rehabilitating and her father Rugie Misir, who has a long history in motorsports, told her to take a break from equestrian and try out motorsports. She first tried go-karting, and she fell in love with the sport right away. Misir switched to motor racing at the age of 18.

“Honestly, the entire journey behind the wheels has been nothing but encouraging from my fellow peers. Of course, when you start to go international, that’s when you start to have those encounters with men who are a little more strong-minded than women; however, I have to say that the sport has evolved and has become an environment where it is more welcoming to women,” she said.

In 2022, Misir became the first Caribbean woman to be chosen as a finalist in Formula Woman, an international championship for amateur female race car drivers held in the United Kingdom (UK). She eventually won the competition alongside three other ladies, all chosen as the final champions.

As a result, she became a professional racing driver and made her international motorsport career debut on June 8, 2022, competing in the GT Cup Championship at the Snetterton Circuit in the UK.

In domestic competition, Misir won a hat-trick of races in three consecutive Jamaican Race Drivers Club (JRDC) meets at the Dover Raceway to emerge as the 2022 Champion in both the JRDC Modified Production 3 and the TS1 Classes.

“When I get in any race, the most important thing I remind myself is to enjoy it because, at the end of the day, if I’m not enjoying it, it’s not worth my time. I don’t do my best at something I don’t enjoy and I don’t compare myself to others,” Misir told the
Jamaica Observer.

“I drive a tube-framed chassis with a Hayabusa Gen 2 turbocharged engine inside of it. It’s a 1,300-cc engine; it’s a bike engine and it’s relatively light; it’s about 1,600 pounds with me in it, and the horsepower we’re running right now is above 400. I don’t have a speedometer in my car and so I actually don’t know how fast I’m going. My car has no power steering and no paddle shifts, as everything’s clutch, turn, and shift gears,” she added.

While challenges persist, her patience and dedication as a Formula One driver, as well as her bright smile and sparkling eyes, made her a remarkable figure in the sport. Misir talks about overcoming fears, the physical demands of racing, and her mindset during races.

“Once my visor is down, my helmet is down, my car is on, and I’m on grid, my fears immediately go away. Of course, you always have fears about the dangers that can come with racing. However, with so much advancement in technology and protection from your gear, your car, and the roll cage, that really does eliminate most of the dangers that come with it,” Misir said.

“It’s all about also focusing on the road, on the circuit that’s coming ahead of you, the corner, all the statistics that are coming out in terms of oil temperature, engine temperature, water temperature, air intake, tyre pressure, and what’s going on with the 20 odd cars around you. So there’s a lot going on, so it is very physical,” she further explained.

She highlighted a memorable race where she beat Nicholas Barnes, Demar Lee, and Lamar Lamond, a moment she will cherish for the rest of her life.

“I think the one race where I was able to beat them for the first time will still always give me goosebumps because it was that moment in my career when I really started to fall in love with the sport even more,” Misir spoke as tears of excitement filled her eyes, as if she could feel the true thrilling moment.

“Oh, you could see me throwing my fists up in the air, saying, ‘Yes, I finally did it’. It was amazing. I came out of the car, and my dad was hugging me. Everyone was smiling and clapping and it was going crazy. It was just amazing to see a pink car cross the finish line first,” she added while demonstrating her joy back then.

“I have a slang where on the back of my car it says ‘Tek Pass Bwoy’, and so I have always gone around with mini stickers, and I would slap them on the back of other friends cars when I passed them and beat them on the track,” she quickly added.

Misir suffered a mechanical breakdown early in 2023, but she still finished the season with an amazing record, taking first and second places at St Ann’s Dover Raceway during its “Heroes of Speed” event in October. Last month, Misir was voted female Motorsport Athlete of the Year at the RJR/Gleaner Sportsman and Sportswoman Awards gala for the third year in a row.

Misir emphasises the importance of teamwork and expresses excitement for upcoming races and challenges. Her goal is to continue improving and achieving success with her team, Miserable Racing.

“We’re getting the car ready for April 1, which is the first Dover and we’re super excited. I’ll be racing the Caribbean Championship as well as the Jamaica National Championship. There’s a few overseas internationals in the work, but I can’t let that out yet. But big things are coming in 2024.

“I always tell everyone that I wouldn’t be anywhere without my team. They are the ones who get the car ready. It’s not me running out there, it’s me and my car, which means it’s me and my team. And without them, I would be nothing,” she ended.