After the confirmation of Rafaela Ferreira, the grid of the second Brazilian F4 season will feature another female talent, with the announcement of 15-year-old Cecilia Rabelo.
The female presence has grown significantly in many countries in recent years and Brazil is not different. The off-season of the brand-new Brazilian F4 championship has in fact brought very positive news, with the signing of more female drivers in the open-wheel category.
In a short timeframe, two young women who stood out in national karting competitions had their names confirmed on the entry list of the 2023 season: firstly, it was 17-year-old Rafaela Ferreira, and now 15-year-old Cecilia Rabelo announced she will also join the grid for the upcoming campaign, the second in the series' history.
Even though she has only been in motorsport for a short time, Cecilia Rabelo achieved remarkable results in the national karting competitions, even collecting her first podiums.
In 2022 she joined the all-female FIA Girls On Track team, alongside Antonella Bassani, Bia Martins, Gabriela Mesa and Thaline Chicoski, in the Brazilian Endurance Championship, where they finished in 8th place.
Aiming to prepare for a possible opportunity in the Brazilian F4, Cecilia had her first experiences behind the wheel of a single-seater in some free training sessions and then entered a few Formula Delta races – another national open wheel category. As everything aligned, Cecilia Rabelo now confirmed her participation in F4 in 2023.
"It will be my biggest challenge in motorsport", she commented, "I'm going to dedicate myself to the maximum because I know it won't be easy. The objective is to learn, gain experience and fight for good results in the championship." – stated Cecilia about her goals for the debut season.
Just like in 2022, the grid will consist of 4 teams with 4 cars each – and soon the registered drivers will be assigned to the teams after the draw, which will be carried out by Vicar – the official promoter of the category. The first stage of the 2023 Brazilian F4 season will be held at Interlagos Circuit, on April 23.