With her grandparents’ involvement in motor racing and her parents who met at hill climb race, Adeline Prudent’s presences in the most imposing field of all the French brand cups is not a coincidence !

A sure ascent

Like many, Adeline Prudent had to establish herself. Brilliant in karting, she received the support of the FIA Women in Motorsport commission before several top ten finishes in the World Championship. Following a first season in sedan racing, she opted for the Coupe de France des Circuits in the Clio Cup to continue her learning process in 2016.

"I drove the older version Clio Cup", says the Institut Supérieur de l’Automobile et des Transports (ISAT) de Nevers student. "I visited the Clio Cup paddock at Magny-Cours and Castellet. Drivers came to greet me even though we had never met. I realized that I was beginning to make a name for myself and was being accepted. I skipped a step and I quickly preferred the current generation car !"

"There is less assistance for the brakes and I was able to go back to my karting reference marks. We can work more on the shock set ups to adapt the chassis to my driving style. I am a stickler about this and my father takes care of it in our family run team. This year is a bit of a homecoming since we are operating like we did when we raced karts !"

On the Junior category podium at Pau in just her third race in Clio Cup France, Adeline Prudent now sips champagne on a regular basis. “I have scored at least one podium at all the tracks, except Dijon ! At Castellet, the goal will be to consolidate my third place. The title seems out of reach, but I will aim for the win and I am ready to seize upon the smallest opportunity that presents itself !”

Adeline Prudent traces her path

The world of motor racing has a chauvinistic reputation and we wanted to get Adeline Prudent’ opinion and also tell us what kind of reception she has received from her rivals…

“Some are still struggling to accept being behind a women’’, she says. “It could be due to a lack of maturity, because my ‘young’ adversaries in karting loved to drive me off the track. In the Clio Cup, they are more experienced and less macho ! That is also why I feel at home in the Clio Cup, which is a family-style category where many of the competitors become real friends, like Jérémy Curty, who was my team mate last year.”

Some may believe that the "normalization" of her presence in the field was at the expense of her femininity, but Adeline Prudent immediately puts that to rest. “I didn’t have to change anything, I wear makeup and jewellery... None of this affects my performance ! There are several reasons for my pink color-scheme : to help my parents spot my car, show that I am a woman – contrary to my white Clio last year ! - , but most of all because I like this color ! Many little girls home come to see me in the paddock ; I hope it leads to some giving it a try…”