Motorsport isn’t only a part-time interest for Renee Gracie.
The previous Supercars driver-turned grownup entertainer made her grand return to racing final 12 months following a six-year hiatus from the game.
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The 29-year-old has confronted fixed criticism from revheads with social media customers fast to try to tarnish Gracie’s return to behind the wheel.
However because the world will get a peak backstage into her life within the not too long ago launched documentary on Stan, Revealed – Renee Gracie: Fireproof, Gracie has one hope that viewers take away.
“One which I hope folks see, and I hope folks take away is that I had the fervour for motorsport and I’ve all the time had a ardour for motorsport. And I actually devoted my complete life to motorsport,” Gracie informed information.com.au.
Gracie’s first stint in motorsport was removed from fairly with the proficient driver “unfairly handled” regardless of what many could have thought.
“Individuals assume that as a result of I used to be a girl in motorsport that I received handed every thing on a silver platter in life and it was really sort of the other,” she mentioned.
“I didn’t get handled pretty. I missed out on quite a lot of alternatives.
“It’s what led me to ultimately making the choice to go you understand what, I don’t need to be right here anymore. I don’t need to do that anymore.
“This isn’t for me anymore. And this house that I’m in, on this trade that I’m in is not my love and fervour and need.”
However after strolling away from the game, the fireplace continued to burn and it wasn’t a snap in a single day resolution to return.
Gracie’s return to get again behind the wheel got here after years of planning and finally noticed her get again on the grid because the boss of her personal group.
Whereas extra scepticism was thrust upon her when her return was introduced, Gracie proved the doubters flawed by claiming a championship trophy in her first season.
“I used to be already below such powerful criticism, returning. And we needed to be strategic and it type of labored in my favour as a result of I used to be aggressive. And I confirmed folks and I used to be in an older automotive, beating folks in new vehicles,” Gracie mentioned.
“I feel that that simply type of added to the story as properly, on high of clearly competing and successful the championship.
“I really feel prefer it was only a actually good, delicate method to say like yep you lit a fireplace in me, you made me come again and never solely have I come again, I’ve simply gone and received this factor after I actually finally shouldn’t have received it.”
After taking out the championship trophy in her return season, Gracie made the step as much as GT World Problem Australia pro-am sequence.
The transfer up in school means Gracie will step up into the Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo 2, a transfer which has been made simpler with the assistance of skilled co-driver Paul Stokell.
Stokell, 56, has a wealth of information behind the wheel and has helped cross on his expertise as studying the ropes of what the brand new automotive can ship sinks in.
“The leap has been big. It’s nothing like I’ve ever pushed,” Gracie mentioned.
“These vehicles are simply, they’re unbelievable. They’re superb. You possibly can’t fault them. They’re difficult, and so they’re exhausting to drive, however they’re actually pleasing. And it’s precisely what a race automotive ought to be.
“Paul’s unbelievable. It’s little doubt in my thoughts that I actually suppose Paul might be the most effective drivers on the grid.
“He’s a extremely invaluable half to my development ahead. Top-of-the-line issues that would occur to me shifting ahead is studying from him and sucking his 30 years of data out of him and attempting to use as a lot as I can.”
Whereas the step up has include its challenges, Gracie is simply taking a look at closing the hole on her co-driver and persevering with to show the doubters flawed that she does belong within the sport.
“I undoubtedly want to enhance myself as a driver getting used to those excessive aero vehicles, and actually simply attempting to know them somewhat bit higher,” she mentioned.
“I feel I’m actually near getting it.
“I really feel like I’m near type of with the ability to actually drive the automotive to its full potential however I’m not fairly there but. And I feel as soon as I unlocked that I feel Paul and I are going to be a extremely good pairing I’d like to be an analogous time to Paul.
“I simply need to guarantee that I don’t ever get sucked right into a place like I did beforehand, the place there’s a lot background noise, issues are getting pulled away from me and I’m not being the most effective driver I will be.
“And I feel that’s one factor that I actually need to guarantee that I proceed to do for the remainder of the 12 months and cancel every thing else out.”
Revealed – Renee Gracie: Fireproof was launched on Might 26 and is obtainable to look at solely on Stan.
