On July 1, 2018 over 300,000 Formula 1 fans watched as 21-year-old, , crossed the checkered line in Red Bull鈥檚 iconic red and blue at the 2018 Austrian Grand Prix, marking the first time the Austrian energy drink brand etched podium gold on home soil.
Enamoured by the sights, sounds and suspense powered by roaring engines 鈥� the product of elite-level engineering 鈥� sat a young girl and her father from Comox Valley, B.C., who, while enjoying a European holiday, found two tickets to the elite racing spectacle.
Unbeknownst to the heroes on the track, fans in the crowd or even Nicole Havrda鈥檚 own father, that day, as the sun rose and set 鈥� a star was born.
鈥淲e went on a road trip through Europe and he decided we鈥檇 stop in Austria to watch the F1 Grand Prix. We go, we watch it and right as I get there I fall in love with it immediately. I actually asked my dad, 鈥榗an you help get me there?!鈥� He thought I wanted to get a closer look at the track and I told him, 鈥榥o no, I want to drive one,鈥� Harvda says.
has been on a tear since she first suited up at the Saratoga , between Courtenay and Campbell River. From sit-down interviews alongside F1 Hall of Fame driver and seven-time , , to becoming the first female Formula Pro USA champion in 2023 at the age of 18, Havrda says none of this could have been possible without the support of her family and the hometown that has cheered her on since the beginning.
鈥淏ehind the scenes, nobody sees the adversity but it鈥檚 there! My dad, mother and brother support me immensely. We have a family business. For six months of the year when we are out of town training and competing, my brother takes care of the family shop. Without him we wouldn鈥檛 be able to do this,鈥� Harvda says.
鈥淢y parents do so much. The actual racing is only 10 per cent of what we do. From sending a billion emails, finding sponsors and teams, marketing my name and doing social media, it鈥檚 seriously insane. To get where I am now, the success we鈥檝e had is built on the trust we have with each other. When I win a race, it鈥檚 not Nicole Havrda winning, my family is winning with me.鈥�
Havrda and her father sat down with Black Press Media across the pond at the to share a behind the scenes look at her rise in the sport and what it means to leave a legacy of change, and empower the next generation of drivers from different backgrounds.
In her final year of high school, Havrda says the road to her success hasn鈥檛 been easy, though her determination continues to beat the odds. Spending upwards of 200 days away from home, training and competing on race tracks around the world, the Comox resident admits while grateful for the success and support she鈥檚 gained, there鈥檚 a great deal that people don鈥檛 see behind the scenes.
鈥淚 enjoy challenges because it motivates me to work harder, so these days the biggest challenge is finishing school 鈥� this June I鈥檒l be graduating. What鈥檚 been difficult is balancing this with racing. Most days I鈥檒l come back from training or competing and I鈥檓 met with a test or assignment. Because I鈥檓 online schooling, it鈥檚 made it harder to maintain close relationships with my friends back home. It used to be hard to explain what I do but the has helped them understand some of what I go through.鈥�
When she dawns the red and white jumpsuit and hits the track, Havrda says the adversity is of a different nature, one that doesn鈥檛 receive enough attention in motorsports.
鈥淏eing a woman in motorsports, it鈥檚 definitely harder. When you鈥檙e going to the pits I often notice guys give me a weird stare. For me, I place my focus on the race. My helmet might stand out as it鈥檚 bright pink but when I put it on, to me, I鈥檓 just another racer and that鈥檚 what matters.鈥�
When Harvda is not burning rubber on the track or deep in studies, her love of the sport has now grown into a commitment to inspiring the next generation of female racers. In 2023, Harvda teamed up with Mercedez, placing a spotlight on the who raced in the powerful Mercedes-AMG GT4 in an endurance race at California鈥檚 Buttonwillow Raceway Park.
The documentary and media campaign, , explored the each racer鈥檚 journey and provided a private look into what it took for the three talented drivers to break into the highest levels of motorsport.
Asked what advice Harvda gives to the next generation of racers facing adversity, the Formula Pro Champ says with conviction, 鈥淎t the end of the day, go after it! If you lose or happen to fail, at least you tried and you know you gave it your all.鈥�
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