Motorsport has been in my genes from the very beginning
German co-driver Lina Meter has lived a life around motorsport. Starting with attending events with her family as a young spectator to beginning to compete in karts, and then as a co-driver. She has risen to become one of the leading co-drivers in the German Rally Championship, taking two fourth place finishes alongside Martin Christ aboard an i20 N Rally2 in the championship this year.
Lina tells us about the challenges she faces as a co-driver and as a woman in the male- dominated world of motorsport, as well as why she still loves to spectate, attending one of the biggest races in the world – the Nürburgring 24 Hours.
What are the challenges you have to face as a co-driver?
The main challenges of being a co-driver are teamwork, trust and organization. Being in the right place at the right time is also essential for driving a rally.
The teamwork between driver and co-driver but also the entire service team, engineers and team manager is very important! Everyone in the team must know exactly what their job is and how to do it. You must have trust in the service crew, that the car is well-prepared and on point, but the trust between driver and co-driver is even more important. My life is in the hands of my driver and also the other way round. If I tell him/her wrong in the pacenotes, we could have an accident and even die. So good timing and a good feeling for speed and corners are necessary.
But it all starts with good organization. Before the event, so you don’t have to worry about many things during the rally, but also after the finish, to discuss what was good and what can be improved for the next event.
What has been the highlight of your season so far?
My highlight was to even have the opportunity to race in a Hyundai i20 N Rally2 in the German Rally Championship. It was my first full season in a Rally2 car and I enjoyed it so much! Another highlight were some stage times being second or third overall. We were improving our driving over the season, so I’m really looking forward to the next rallies and seasons.
What motivated you in pursuing a career in motorsport?
My family, especially my dad, has been a spectator in rallies for a very long time. He also attended one rally in 1981, the Saarland Rallye, which was a part of the European Championship at the time. So, motorsport has been in my genes from the very beginning.
My older brother Lukas has always been a role model for me. He started to compete in national auto slalom events. That’s how I got into Karting Slalom. After a while he drove in national rallies and later competed in the German Championship. When I was 15, I also started to drive Auto Slalom and a year later I began to accompany my brother in test rallies and small national rallies as his co-driver. That’s how I became a rally co-driver.
My goal was always to become a rally driver myself, but I was too young and by the time I was 18 I was so focused on being a good co-driver, I decided to focus on improving my co-driving skills.
In 2019 I competed in the FIA European Rally Championship and in 2020 I was asked to co-drive in the Junior WRC but then there was COVID, so no Junior WRC for me yet. My goal is still to compete in big international events like the ERC and WRC and maybe be able to race in a WRC car in the future.
My plan is not only to have a career in motorsport by being a successful co-driver but also to turn my passion into an income. I am doing an MBA in Motorsports Management alongside a full-time job and currently writing my Masters thesis, so my goal for the near future is to work full-time in motorsport too!
Do you feel there any extra challenges for you as a woman in motorsport?
Motorsport is dominated by men but I don’t see a difference between a male and a female racing driver. Both have a passion for motorsport and cars, so there should be no difference.
It’s sad that there are not as many women in motorsport as men but in Germany there are many female co-drivers and the numbers are increasing. Also, two German female drivers will attend the WRC Beyond Rallye – Women’s Driver Development Program. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for them!
The mechanical and technical things like communicating with the engineers are mainly focused on the driver and his feeling about the car. My intention is to attend these meetings and learn about the cars and about how everything works. I think that’s a challenge because as a woman you tend to be underestimated more than a man.
How do you prepare yourself to a rally?
I have developed my own routines. The way I pack my bags, for racing clothes, my co-driver bag, my laptop and tablet for watching onboards during the breaks etc. is always the same. That way I don’t forget any important things.
It’s also a pleasure and very important for me that my parents travel with me to every rally! It is just a safe place for me to know they are with me and support me in everything I do.
You attended the iconic Nürburgring 24 Hours as a fan this year, what did you enjoy the most?
To be honest, I’ve been to the Nürburgring 24 Hours every year I can think of. As a kid, my parents took me every year and since then we’ve always been camping there but were mostly in the paddocks.
The feeling at the Nürburgring 24 Hours is just something special. There is so much history and passion! Everyone is welcome and just enjoys the race, the cars, the speed and spending time with friends there! It’s also pretty cool to know some of the drivers personally through other races or rallies, just the community of motorsport.
The last two years I’ve been there with the 24h Conti crew – a group of friends of mine who converted a shipping container into a bar with TVs, music and a roof top bar. They have been at the Nürburgring 24h with the container for seven years now.
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