Since the event at Barbados that Kiwi Rally ace Emma Gilmour is the first female competitor in the short history of the Global RallyCross series.

By courtesy of Erika Detota

Making history as the first woman to race in the Red Bull Global RallyCross series, Emma Gilmour is no stranger to Rally. She lined up against some of the biggest names in racing at the first round in Barbados and managed to do her native New Zealand proud. As an accomplished performance Rally driver she has teamed up with Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) to contest the GRC series in a four-wheel driven Hyundai Veloster SuperCar for the year which will also include X Games in Austin, Texas, this summer.

Gilmour: “Although we had small mechanical issues all weekend I still got the opportunity to keep improving my driving in the super fast, competitive GRC format.” Qualifying 12th, Emma focused on getting much needed experience in the car and also getting used to the different format and rules of GRC. It will be exciting to see Emma hopefully make it to the final event in the following rounds.

Kiwi Emma Gilmour, the first female RallyCrosser of the GRC series. © Alison Padron/Red Bull Media House/ERC24

Gilmour: “I learned heaps and kept improving throughout the practise, qualifying and heats. Despite the racing being a big learning curve, I really enjoyed it. I can’t wait for the next round at the X Games in Austin, Texas, on June 7.”

Emma Gilmour is now looking forward to getting back into her Vantage-sponsored Suzuki Swift Maxi for the Canterbury Rally on June 1 to 2, the next round of the New Zealand Rally Championship.

Top photo: Gilmour flying her Hyundai Veloster high over the Barbados soil. © Alison Padron/Red Bull Media House/ERC24