Formula 4 Brazil, which will start in May, appears in the midst of the lack of basic competitions in national motorsport. The event has six weekends planned until November, with three races in each. Among the 16 drivers, who are divided into four teams, Aurelia Nobels is the only girl. Not that it’s a strange scenario for the 15-year-old, used to being a minority in the tournaments she plays.
“There are few girls in the sport and it’s very difficult, because we suffer with the boys, because it’s a very sexist sport. But my parents always supported a lot, my friends too. [que seria piloto]they [amigos] were even shocked, because seeing a girl in this sport is difficult, but they are always supporting me, asking and are happy with the results”, said Aurelia, to Brazil Agency.
The pilot’s surname, by the way, leaves no doubt about her foreign origin. Aurelia was born in Boston (United States) and has Belgian parents. The family has lived in Brazil since the young girl was three years old, but the affection for the country comes from before, also motivated by motor racing.
“When I was little, I had a Brazilian flag in my room, because I liked Ayrton Senna. He was my idol. I always dreamed of visiting Brazil, I had a professional opportunity [para isso] and after moving here. The whole family changed, they liked it a lot and we stayed here”, recalled Aurelia’s father, Kevin Nobels.
Of Kevin’s four children, two have followed the path of motorsports – Aurelia’s younger brother Ethan also drives. Both started in karting with Tuka Rocha, a prominent Stock Car driver, who died in 2018 in a plane crash. The young woman was ten years old when she met the sport and has participated in tournaments since 2017. In addition to Brazilian tracks, she has competed in Europe and was the only female representative in the OK Junior category (12 to 14 years old) at the 2020 Kart World Championship, in Portimão (Portugal).
“I found it very different [competir na Europa], in relation to the kart and the tracks. On machismo, they see fewer differences between boys and girls. Plus there are more girls [pilotando] in Europe”, described Aurelia, who has Bia Figueiredo, a former Stock Car and Indy car driver, among the references in the modality – alongside Monegasque Charles Leclerc and British Lewis Hamilton, both in Formula 1.
“I met her [Bia] at the beginning of my career. He is an amazing person, very good people. She even texted me when I walked into TMG [equipe de Aurélia na Fórmula 4]has worked with Thiago [Meneghel, chefe da escuderia]”, said.
Aurelia Nobels chose to wear a helmet with the flags of Belgium and the United States – one on each side -, and that of Brazil highlighted in the center – Personal Archive/Kevin Nobels
The Brazilian Formula 4 season will be Aurelia’s first driving a single-seater. To adapt, the young woman tested in Europe – the F4 car there is the same that will be used here – and got to know the tracks she will have ahead of her in 2022, aboard a Formula 3.
“[O monoposto] It’s very different from karting, which is the basis of everything. The car is heavier and faster and the brakes are harder. You have to work a lot on the physical to handle the car and do a lot of simulator to get to know the tracks, know where the first corner is, where to brake”, said the pilot.
Aurelia dreams of Formula 1, which has not had a female driver since Italian Giovanna Amati, who participated in official qualifying training in three stages of the 1992 season. between 1974 and 1976. Since then, the British Susie Wolff – currently the executive chief of the Venturi team, in Formula E (electric single-seaters) – and Katherine Legge are the ones that came closest to competing in the main motorsport category. .
“It’s very difficult, few people can do it, but I hope it works and I can get there one day”, said the young woman, who, from 2023, aged 16, will be able to participate in the W Series qualifiers, category international event aimed only at women and which had Bruna Tomaselli from Santa Catarina last season.
And what about the flag you will defend? In 2020, at the Kart World Championship, Aurelia and her brother competed for Belgium. Despite her half-American, half-European blood, Aurelia wants to represent the country where she grew up and in which her family decided to live.
“I came here very early, I have lived for 12 years, so I consider myself Brazilian. I prefer to represent Brazil”, concluded the pilot, who has the flags of the three countries stamped on her helmet.
The first weekend of Formula 4 Brazil will be on the 14th and 15th of May, in Mogi Guaçu (SP). On the 30th and 31st of July, the tests will be held in Brasília. The category returns to Mogi Guaçu on the 25th and 26th of September. The fourth stage is scheduled for Goiânia, on October 22 and 23. The season comes to an end on November 19 and 20, again in Brasília.
