Today we are joined by a real game changer in the world of motorsport with professional racing car driver, Samantha Tan!

After starting her solo racing career at just 16 years old, Samantha made HERstory, not only as the first Canadian woman to become overall champion of a major endurance series, but also became the first Asian woman to win a major international endurance racing series! In her races, Samantha races for up to 24 hours in team endurance races - where teammates swap in and out of the car in shifts - she definitely knows a thing or two about endurance.

I learnt SO much about the world of motorsport from Samantha and in this episode we talk about the gender gap in the sport. Did you know that in Formula 1, men and women can actually compete in the same race? So why don’t they? As Samantha says ‘the car doesn’t see gender,’ and suggests it’s a cultural problem as she tells me about the jaw dropping sexism she has received from male racers. You honestly won’t believe the overtly sexist story in this episode!

Samantha also talks about why she always races with a full face of makeup underneath her helmet in order to prove that you can achieve anything in a male dominated world as a woman, and speaks about becoming the representation she needed in the sport growing up.

I hope this episode encourages you to get out there and achieve your dreams no matter the cultural differences you might face, just like Samantha! This is also the last episode in our special month-long focus on inspirational female athletes so I hope you feel just as inspired as I do to get out there and smash whatever goals you might have! If you love this episode, please get in touch (follow me across social media @joshsmithhosts), I love hearing from you and I’ll be back at the end of August with a new series! Until then, wear that crown with pride. Love, Josh xxx

P.S. I am so proud that this episode of Reign with Josh Smith - which celebrates our inspirational female sporting stars - is brought to you thanks to my friends at Pandora, who are the Official National Jewellery Sponsor of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2022.

This summer of sport is all about encouraging women and girls everywhere to feel empowered and motivated to be the person they want to be. Just like these inspirational female athletes you’re hearing from in these episodes, YOU can achieve anything - whether it’s in sport, your career or any of your life goals. Get out there, be fearless and write your own story.

And with Pandora, there’s always a piece of jewellery you can create or customise to help tell that story. Just head to pandora.net or your nearest store, now!

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