Images: Damien Cross and James Wiltshire
Ruby red kitten heels paired with a racing helmet; I know of only one woman who is bold enough to fashion such a distinguishable signature look. Her name is Adele Hunt. Racing driver, motorsport pioneer and Trustee of Ireland Motorsports, we first made acquaintance in 2023 at the foot of Shelsley Walsh.
Me, an uptight first-timer at Hagerty’s non-competitive hill climb taster event, and she, an accomplished summiteer of the oldest motorsport venue in the world, we, were one of the few females present – and prepared – to tackle the twists and turns of the thousand-yard track.
Our styles, of course, were markedly different. Behind the wheel of my late grandfather’s 1960 MGA, I approached the tricky bits with tempered levels of va-va-vroom, so when Adele offered me the opportunity to experience a significantly livelier run in the passenger seat of her 1975 Mini Cooper Mk3, I jumped in and buckled up.
“You got in my car and you were really quiet,” she recalls. This uncharacteristic lack of chat was a symptom of nerves. Adele once put heel to pedal and “chucked” the late legend that is Paddy Hopkirk up the very same hill, and he was, she says, most impressed. In contrast, when I took Paddy for a drive in my MGA, we cruised along some country lanes to a golf club for a spot of lunch.
“As we were going into the bottom S, you held on to the seat,” says Adele, “and when we got to the top you said it was really fast – but it wasn’t as fast as we were allowed to go.” It felt like we were going flat out. “It’s not always about speed to get good times, it’s about being a smooth driver and carrying that speed through corners rather than hankering on the brakes.” I’m convinced on one camber, for a second, we were airborne. What a rush. “I’m a bit of a control freak so I always find it amazing that people put their trust in me.”
Two months later, while taking part in the former seafront sprint event, Brighton Speed Trials, Adele crashed at 86mph. For a racing driver, accidents are an inevitability, but escaping unscathed isn’t guaranteed…
Why do you do it?
I love a challenge and I love cars. Motorsport is about talent and commitment, not gender, and I want to help break stereotypes.
Talk us through what happened…
I was hurtling towards the finish line when everything went wrong. There’s a succession of three bumps in the road and when I hit the first bump, the Mini Marcos – which had just been restored – destabilised. I knew I was in deep trouble. It’s the first time I’d raced it, and the suspension was too short. I was fighting the gearbox and torque steer too. When I hit the final bump, a massive bump, the car launched into the air; at that point, I knew I couldn’t save it. A lamp post stopped it from barrel rolling.
Did your life flash before your eyes?
No. All I could think was that if I got out of this alive, my husband, Ian, who I dual drive with, would kill me. When everything stopped I sat there and thought I’m here, I’ve survived. I managed to get myself out of the car, but god knows how – I broke ribs, front and back.
So, how did he react?
Initially, I think it impacted him more than it did me, but it’s because he built me a safe car that I got out alive.
It hasn’t put you off racing then?
I was racing again within 10 weeks. In the months after my crash I had messages from male drivers around the world who had not got back into their own race cars after crashes, even if they weren’t as severe. They were astounded by my determination and it inspired and encouraged them to get back in the driving seat. I didn’t realise I had such a following. It’s this year that it has hit me. I got very upset at Shelsley, it wasn’t that I didn’t think I was able to do it, it was that I didn’t want to crash another of Ian’s competition cars, but he’s very pragmatic. They have a lot of history, but they can, and have been, rebuilt. I’ve got a classic Mini and I wouldn’t race that.
I wouldn’t race my MGA…
A year ago Ian and I helped set up the National Historic Speed Club, it’s all about getting pre-1977 cars out there that wouldn’t normally compete. The car can be as standard, or modified in period, so, for example, no electronic ignition. There are different classes within the championship, but the PB [personal best] cup means that you might not be the quickest, but as long as you improve you are in the running for a win. We use circuits, such as Goodwood, but they are always a standing start and you compete against your own time. We’ve got a real variety of cars signing up for 2025, everything from Allegros to a Triumph Vitesse.
Top tip?
Get yourself to a driving school and then just give it a go. There will be times when you doubt your ability but the community is so supportive. I went into racing thinking very negatively about being in the minority as a woman but have found that I get treated as an equal. It will take a while to build confidence in your car, but if you know its capabilities you will be more in control. I didn’t realise how competitive I am until I started racing four years ago. I do get red mist.
