Female racing driver and equestrian, Liz Halliday, will help Formula 1 stars David Coulthard and Eddie Irvine put ten celebrity wannabe racing drivers through their paces next week, as part of a new Sky One television show presented by Denise van Outen called, The Race.
Designed to finally determine whether it’s men or women who really make the better drivers, the series will pit two teams of five against one another for seven days of frantic battle-of-the-sexes action at Silverstone, home of the British Grand Prix.
Liz, a multiple race winner and championship runner-up in the 2006 American Le Mans Series, will help Red Bull Racing driver Coulthard train the girl’s camp, comprising urban music maestro Ms Dynamite, Tamara Ecclestone – daughter of Formula One boss Bernie – former Atomic Kitten Jenny Frost, US film star Melissa Joan Hart and TV personality Ingrid Tarrant.
Meanwhile, former Ferrari ace Irvine – who finished runner-up in the Formula One World Championship in 1999 – will coach the boys alongside Silverstone Racing School chief instructor, Steve Deeks. Representing ‘the lads’ will be ex-boxing world champion Nigel Benn, England football legend Les Ferdinand, AC/DC lead singer Brian Johnson, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels star Nick Moran and electro-pop pioneer Gary Numan.
Before the real trials begin, each celebrity will have to obtain their Association of Racing Drivers Schools certificate (ARDS) to qualify them for the challenges ahead and ensure they have the necessary skills to cope.
From then on it's high-octane entertainment as every day from 6 November one driver from each team will step forward to take part in a one-on-one driving duel, the Rev Head Challenge. With the pressure all on one person to bag valuable points and move their team up the grid, this will be a true test of character.
The main event of each day will see the celebs competing as a team against the opposite sex in everything from superminis and monster trucks, to off-road buggies and Lotus sportscars to improve their ‘grand prix grid’ standing and avoid being handed the ‘suit of shame’. With team pride and camaraderie playing as big a part as personal rivalries and self-esteem, passions and tensions are set to run high.
Coulthard and Irvine will have to choose a driver from their respective teams to be eliminated on the Friday night show, while a grand final - a Formula Ford race – will be held on Sunday November 12.
“I’m really excited to be involved in this and so pleased to have been asked,” enthused Halliday, “It’ll be a real honour to meet and work with Eddie Irvine and David Coulthard and hopefully I can learn a thing or two myself. I’ve done quite a lot of coaching in the past which should stand me in good stead with my team and allow me to pass on some constructive assistance. I’m going to push the contestants as much as I can because I really want us to win, but ultimately it’ll be down to each one of them being brave, being focused and working hard.”
An excited Denise van Outen added, “I can't wait to get trackside with the girls and boys to find out once and for all which sex really is better behind the wheel. This is going to be the hardest week of some of our celebrity's lives and with David and Eddie in charge I can't see anyone being given an easy ride."
• 'The Race' will be shown live at 10pm every night on Sky One during the week of competition, beginning this coming Monday, 6th November. More information on skyone.co.uk
• Further ‘behind-the-scenes’ coverage will also be shown in an additional program, The Pit Stop, at 11pm every night on Sky Three, a Freeview channel.
• Anyone wishing to watch the Grand Finale live at Silverstone on Nov 12th can purchase tickets directly from Silverstone (Ticket Hotline: 08704 588260) or visit silverstone.co.uk
