Skip to content

Northamptonshire woman with MS makes national disabled racing team

Asha Silva Anji Silva-VadgamaAsha Silva
Anji Silva-Vadgam, who developed MS in 2018, had only driven a go-kart before she decided to become a racing driving

A woman with multiple sclerosis who had only driven on a race track for the first time two months ago has made a national disabled racing team.

Anji Silva-Vadgama, 32, who lives in Barton Seagrave, Northamptonshire, has been offered a development place on Team Brit.

Ms Silva-Vadgama had only driven a go-kart before she contacted the team after watching a documentary.

The team is training for the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race in 2024.

Ms Silva-Vadgama was first diagnosed with MS in 2018 and is on lifelong treatment to manage the pain and mobility problems caused by the autoimmune condition, which also caused nerve damage to the back of her eye.

"When I received my MS diagnosis it seemed even more far fetched until I saw Team BRIT and what was actually possible," she said.

Abby Rawlings Anji Silva-Vadgama and team at its Mclaren launchAbby Rawlings
Anji Silva-Vadgama (back) is Team Brit's only female trainee driver

After being inspired by a TV documentary about the motor racing team, Ms Silva-Vadgama arranged to meet staff at a track day at Silverstone in September where she also had a go at driving for the first time.

Feedback from the team coach encouraged her to return to drive in October, after which she was offered a place on the team's rookie development programme.

She now has a couple of years to develop her skills in time for the Le Mans race, and to get her race licence.

Ms Silva-Vadgama said cars have always been a part of her life.

Her grandfather was a rally driving champion in Kenya, winning the first ever off-road safari rally championship in Tanzania in the 1950s and her dad was a mechanic.

"My wife is an avid car-boff and we have quite fast cars ourselves," she said.

Ms Silva-Vadgama hopes by making the team she will encourage more females to come on board.

Whilst driving she will be using both the foot pedals and hand controls, and may progress to hand controls only should the strength in her legs deteriorate.

The team said it had developed the world's most advanced hand control technology to enable disabled drivers to compete on equal terms.

presentational grey line

Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email [email protected]