An 8-Year Old Race Car Driver’s Letter to Her Teenage Self

STAY TRUE TO YOUR FORMULA 1 DREAM

Dear 16-year-old Sienna,

This is your 8-year old self. I’m writing this letter, so when I’m 16 and get my license, I will remember why I first started loving cars and driving go-karts. I’m super excited for you to be finally able to drive on public streets and hopefully still racing cars on tracks.

First off, I’d like to remind you how much you like going fast. Remember how exhilarating it feels when you are on the track and you can hear the sound of tires screeching and it feels like you are going 100 mph? It feels like you are the only one on the track, but you can still sense the other racers behind you.  Remember how it feels when it seems like everything, but the race has stopped in time? 

Maybe things are different now that you are 16, but do you remember when you are 8 years old and you were not in control of much? Like how your big sister gets to do everything by herself and you still have to ask Mommy and Daddy for help. But with driving, you are in control! Your hands are on the steering wheel and all that pressure is on you. Remember all those great clutch basketball players that Daddy watches on TV – well that’s you in a go-kart race! 

Remember how much you wanted to start racing when you were around 6 years old? Mommy and daddy were nervous but gave you a private karting lesson for your 7th birthday. That day was so amazing and fun. Finally in a car, just like Lewis Hamilton. Is he still an F1 driver? He knows how to control the car even when it is going super fast and he always wins!

Also, do you remember how you wanted to be an automotive engineer when you grow up? Do you still want to do that? Do you remember how much you liked tinkering with the circuit kit that you got as a present? I hope your high school has classes for engineering and auto mechanics. I can’t wait to take those classes. By your age I’m sure there will be new technology like an iPhone 1000!

Lastly, remember that time at your Junior League race at K1 Racing, before the coronaviruses, when you first got on the podium for your third place finish? Well I hope you have many more of those finishes, especially for first place finishes. And win or lose, remember what you learned. Even with a bad car you can still win a race if you are focused and believe in yourself. And if you lose, you can think about different racing techniques. That new thing is what will eventually get us to win.  I can’t wait to find out about all the races you win by your age. Did you finally get your own outdoor kart and raced at Fontana? I hope you made it to the podium.

I’m really excited to see what type of cars you will be driving when you are 16. Hopefully cars will be better for the environment and there will be more electric cars on the road by the time you read this. I am worried about global warming and I really hope scientist learn some new things so they can save the earth – And don’t forget to not use plastic straws! 

Did Formula 1 become electric yet? I love both Formula 1 and Formula E, but they need to figure out how they can make Formula 1 speeds and power in an electric car so we can see electric cars on the F1 tracks.

Good luck on your driving test – remember it is not a race, you need to show them you follow the rules of the road (then you can overtake them in the parking lot!). Hope high school is fun!

Yours Truly,

8 year old Sienna

p.s. Also make sure the world doesn’t get overrun by robots and self-driving cars. Know who’s in charge!

Check out Lights Out With Sienna on Youtube.