Up-and-coming and growing steadily into the reaches of F3 racing and beyond, Nicole Havrda has fought to become the racer she is today through her adaptability and ability to race consistently. Since displaying her significant talent through three years of competitive karting experience and her participation in the notable W Series test in 2022 as well as competing in the second season of the Indian Racing League in 2023, 2024 will be a continued testament to the Canadian racer’s perseverance. Most recently, she competed in the Formula Pro Winter Series and was the champion, acquiring two wins and three places on the podium, again showcasing her talent in following competitions such as the Formula Region Americas and Formula Pro USA Western FR Championship, amazingly being the first woman to win the regional F3 championship, and showing that she will only push harder in her racing career.
Nicole began her karting at the age of 10, becoming a national champion at the age of 12 as a result of her sensational ability. Two years later, she garnered an opportunity with Mercedes-Benz Canada to race in the AMG GT4, which was another spark to her unforgettable start. In addition, a similar challenge that many other racers encounter when achieving professional status is the money to continue doing what they love.
“The main part of racing has to do with the budget. In the end, it costs millions to race,” said Havrda. “Unless you have a really rich family - which is not my case - you need sponsors.”
However, she takes these challenges into stride and always makes sure to emerge stronger than what she was before, her mettle creating a more formidable racer on and off the track. During her Formula Pro USA Western FR Championship, she demonstrated this during the period of her crash in Sonoma, fortunately only coming out with a mild concussion and back pains. This was at a monumental point during the championships, where she had been leading against the other experienced racers as a result of her triumphant early-season races, and it required of her the utmost commitment and resilience to race again the following day - which she undoubtedly carried through with, supported by her family and team who repaired the car overnight. Following this, with incredible grit, she took the pole position in the final race of the season and won the fastest lap of the season.
“I was leading the championship until (the race at) Sonoma,” said Havrda. “I had a racing incident that happened on track in qualifying… The other car in second place slowed down on the racing line. I managed to avoid him (but ended up hitting) a concrete wall at 200 km/h.”
Great things are foreseen for Nicole Havrda in 2024, with her upcoming championships in The Formula Regional Americas and Formula Pro Winter Series that she is preparing for. She hopes to cross paths (or tracks, pun intended!) with the international, world-class league of F1 as an end goal, but sooner, race in F2. Let her be an inspiration to racers who have faced difficulty and loss, but ultimately have fought and emerged stronger and triumphant.
Citations:
Havrda, Nicole. "NICOLE HAVRDA – NICOLE HAVRDA." NICOLE HAVRDA – Nicole Havrda, nicolehavrda.com/about/. Accessed 20 Jan. 2024.
Laurin, Olivier. "Comox Valley Race Car Driver Makes History." Comox Valley Record, 3 Nov. 2023, www.comoxvalleyrecord.com/news/comox-valley-race-car-driver-makes-history-6831359. Accessed 20 Jan. 2024.
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