I didn’t think it was a very good thing for a woman to drive those open and powerful cars of the 1960s. I was quite happy in my Mini—a great car for both road and racing. I felt it gave better protection from a safety point of view. Colin Chapman was always trying to get me behind the wheel of one of his Lotus single-seater cars, but I resisted these offers, and even his desire to have me simply sitting behind the wheel for photographic purposes.
In the 1960s, the Mini was the car to have and my parents had given me one as a present for my 21st birthday. I’d been dragged along to a motor race at Brands Hatch as a spectator, but I must admit I found the whole thing incredibly boring, the smell of burning rubber when the tires squealed and the aroma of burning oil was quite unpleasant. Although it was so boring for me to watch, it looked rather fun to do.
