Just days ahead of last weekend’s Formula One Grand Prix, female motorsport initiative Dare To Be Different (D2BD) hosted its first ever event in Singapore (19 September 2019) alongside global lead partner Deutsche Bank Wealth Management.
Eighty 11-to-14-year-old girls from local schools arrived at the Marina Bay Sands Hotel in the heart of Singapore’s thriving business and entertainment district to take part in an exciting yet contrasting day of STEM-related activities – as well as having a unique insight into potential future careers within the world of motorsport.
This unique D2BD event had the perfect combination of hands-on activities and mental mind-benders, including: The Pirelli Pit-Stop Challenge where the girls worked in teams to change a wheel against the clock;
a lesson in life-saving resuscitation techniques with HeartbeatzUK’s Dr Clare Morden and a specifically designed financial challenge whereby the girls were provided with a budget to design and market a mobile phone prototype. Sauber F1’s test driver and Dare To Be Different ambassador, Tatiana Calderon also spoke to the girls via video link to share her tips on the importance of health and well-being for career success.Both the F1 in Schools programme and the equally exciting Land Rover 4×4 Challenge were there to showcase how teams of school-age pupils can work together to design and build scaled-down vehicles of either a racing car (Formula One style) or a 4×4 on an off-road track at a series of international competitions.
Dare To Be Different founder Susie Wolff said, “Thanks to vital support from our global lead partner, Deutsche Bank Wealth Management, I am delighted and proud that Dare To Be Different has made its debut in Singapore. This event marks another major milestone in what has already been an amazing four-year journey.”
She continues, “Ever since I founded this initiative back in 2016 my vision has always been that D2BD will reach as many women and girls as possible and provide an opportunity to see the scope of career options around motorsport and other STEM-related industries. Our mission has always remained the same; to allow girls to move out of their comfort zones, try new things and believe in themselves and to show that our industry is every bit as accessible for women as it is for men.”
