Britain’s Louise Cook returns to the WRC after a three-year absence at Rally Finland.
Cook was the first female driver to win a FIA Rally Championship Trophy, winning the WRC Production Cup Championship in 2012. After winning the Championship, the Kent native has suffered with a long-standing injury, as well as a lack of funds. She is now one-hundred percent and ready to take on the fast-flowing stages of Rally Finland.
Cook said “It has been a tough run, finally managing to get the funds to get back to WRC last year following a three-year fundraising struggle was an amazing feeling.
“Then to have a massive knock back, ending up in A&E rather than on a ferry to the rally and losing the committed funds in the process was pretty hard to take.
“It has made me stronger, these things always do. The good news now is that I am 100% fixed, no screws digging in my artery and my arm is stronger than it has ever been.”
Louise added about the struggles of finding big sponsors to fund her, but she hopes that by offering branding packages, with the title sponsorship at six-thousand pounds, it’ll help fund her Rally Finland entry. “It is really hard to find massive sponsors like the top teams. I am still breaking through in the sport. I have had success in 2012 becoming the first female to gain a FIA Rally Championship Trophy and it is nice to be achieving such things, it is just not enough.
“I need to be able to fight to the next level. I need a large army of supporters to make things happen. I have been very fortunate and so grateful for the amazing support I have had over the years. I have met some amazing people who have got involved with what I am trying to achieve and they really make things happen.
“I am trying something different for this event. I am offering larger packages for the one round rather than the whole season. This gives some great value branding placements at a fraction of the cost. It gives the chance to secure some of the best places on the rally car and the best exposure from the event too.”