Alice Powell, a 21-year-old racing driver from Chipping Norton, is in contention to drive alongside the likes of Lewis Hamilton at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after her grandfather said he would pay to turn her dream into reality.

Her opportunity has come about after Leafield-based Caterham went into administration at the end of last month.

The administrators have since launched a ‘crowd-funding’ project whereby the public can contribute towards a target of £2.35mi that would allow the team, who have missed the last two races, to compete at the championship decider in Abu Dhabi on Sunday week.

Powell’s grandfather, Jim Fraser, a retired Royal Air Force sergeant, saw an opportunity to get Powell her Formula One debut.

He wrote to the administrators, Smith & Williamson, offering to pay £35,000 in exchange for Powell driving in the first practice session on the Friday of the grand prix weekend.

  • Latest Sport news

 

  • Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone’s contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.