Rising Stars Profile Vol.17 – Jure Portelli & Eva Dorrestijn

FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars special series

In 2020, FIA launched FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars program. This year, the FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars program continues for a 4th edition. 16 young women, 8 in the Senior Category and 8 in the Junior Category, went through the Training Camp in earlier September in Franciacorta, Italy. Four finalists from each category came out of the Training Camp and will go into the Final at Maranello in November.

Just like in the prvious three editions, we are rolling out the profiles of drivers participating in the program. Today, we give you Jure Portelli from the Senior Category, and Eva Dorrestijn, one of the Junior Category finalist.

Jure Portelli

© All photos provided by Jure Portelli

Paddock Sorority (PS): What was your first exposure to motorsport. Racing is pretty popular in Australia, have you ever followed famous drivers like Mark Webber?

Jure Portelli (JP): My family didn’t come from a motorsport background, which is unusual among the drivers. My dad wanted to teach my sister and I how to drive before we actually got our license. So we stumbled upon karting. We thought it would be the perfect way to learn how to drive. And then I just fell in love with it and continued from there. We weren’t super into racing before that. We never followed supercars or F1 before I started racing. We just got straight into it and it’s sort of taken over our whole lives.

PS: After you started karting, was it for fun at the beginning? Have you been considering becoming a professional driver?

JP: Last year, I was racing pretty much every weekend. It was definitely a good learning experience. This year, we are taking a break from doing so many races, but we’ve moved up to the higher level of races. I’m racing the National Karting Championship this year. It’s been a good year so far. The FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars program has been my dream ever since I started racing. It’s surreal, but it’s definitely been the goal since we first started. It definitely seems like it would help down that professional route. We did watch along the journey of the last few years. A few girls from Australia have been selected. We knew how it worked to some extend. That’s why it’s always been my goal.

PS: Your parents first taught you how to drive, so from whom did you learn the most about racing?

JP: It’s definitely been a steep learning curve getting into it with no motorsport background.

Obviously, my parents are learning as much as I am. So there’s definitely been people around the track that have helped out. They’re always willing to teach us things, especially when we first started. YouTube videos are also useful in learning how to change tires, car set-up and all that. In the beginning, it was our main way of learning. Even today, after a race, after analyzing the data, I’ll always go and watch other people’s video just to see the different techniques of  different drivers, such as where they’re breaking, where they’re turning. I can pick up these things just from watching.

PS: Are your family like your team?

JP: My sister and my dad are my mechanics and my mom’s my manager. Pretty much everyone in North Queensland runs this like a family rather than a team. I love it. It’s definitely a bonding experience with your family. We spend a lot of time together, which is good.

PS: Is there a racing idol for you?

JP: There are a few girls I’m following on social media racing from all around the world. I don’t know them personally, but I’ve always followed them since I started. But my idols are definitely the 6-year-old little girls who run around the track with helmets on almost bigger than them. They’re definitely my idols because that’s so cute.

PS: In the two years you’ve been racing, have you ever considered moving to Europe for your motorsport career?

JP: That’s definitely a big thing with all the Aussies going over to Europe to get a whole different experience and a whole different learning. I know it can be a completely different type of racing over in Europe. I’ve always loved watching the European Championships on the live stream from back home. We actually just went out to the track and watch some of the practice sessions. It was amazing. The whole surrounding feels different. There are a lot of teams and fancy facilities everywhere, which is definitely interesting. I think there’s a lot more professional drivers and a lot more experienced drivers over here. This is where the real competition is.

PS: What has been your best memory in your career so far?

JP: There has been so many great moments. But definitely just being here right now, being selected for the Rising Stars program is a highlight. I’ve already had an amazing first week and we haven’t even gone to the training camp. I’m super excited.

PS: How have your been preparing for the training camp?

JP: For the past 2 years, I’ve always been training, trying to stay fit. Now since we got the email a few weeks ago, I’ve stepped up the training a lot more. The school has been accommodating and they understand my dedication to racing. I haven’t been going to school since I got the notice. I train 8 hour a day, whether it’s in the gym, going for runs. I’m covering both the physical and the mental aspects of racing, such as the reaction time, coordination.

PS: What are your takeaways from the training camp?

JP: I had the most amazing experience in Italy and would like to thank the FIAWIM, Ferrari Driving Academy, Prema Team, Iron Dames and everyone involved in this experience. It has made my drive to succeed intensify and I can’t wait to see what is next for me.

PS: What are your strengths and weaknesses as a driver?

JP: My strength would be my adaptability. I’ve had a lot of opportunity to test in different chassis and engines. I’ve been able to jump in any car and learn how to drive it. I can jump in anything and pick it up pretty quickly. My weaknesses are probably that my schedule isn’t my favorite. I’m always getting up early and going to the gym.

PS: More in the long term, if you want to keep going up the ladder, what do you need to still work on?

JP: Right now, we are just living in the moment and seeing what will come out of this. If I’m heading down the F4 route, we’ll need more experience testing in that car so I can pick it up a bit faster and learn how to drive that a bit better. But right now we’re just working with what we’ve got and see what happens in the future.

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Eva Dorrestijn

© All photos provided by Eva Dorrestijn

Paddock Sorority (PS): What was your first exposure to motorsport? How did you actually get started with karting?

Eva Dorrestijn (ED): My family were on holiday and there was a go-kart track there. My father used to drive go-karts and so he took me to the track. I enjoyed it so much that when we got back I immediately wanted to go to a go-kart track the following weekend. Then we quickly bought our first kart.

PS: What made you decide you want to be a professional driver?

ED: It was in 2021 when I almost became the Dutch champion. I had more points than who ended up being the champion, but by deduction I was demoted to 2nd. That season I started winning races for the first time, which was such a nice feeling that I wanted to go for it completely.

PS: From whom did you learn the most about racing and driving?

ED: That definitely comes from my father, he used to drive go-karts himself. He has also worked for years at the international level. If it were not for him, I would never have been here.

PS: Is there a racing idol for you?

ED: Lando Norris. I really like him!

PS: How are your family supporting your racing career?

ED: Everyone always comes along when I go racing, even my dog. My father, my mother, and my sister are always there for me. Dad is my mechanic and mom always takes care of everyone. We always have a lot of fun together because that’s part of racing. We really do it as a family.

PS: What has been your best memory in your career so far?

ED: The first championship I won last year in juniors. The year before I came in second and then in 2022 it finally happened!! In addition, it was among the boys. It was really a ‘I can do it!’ moment.

PS: Has there been a very difficult time in your career? How did you get through it?

ED: That was the switch from the mini to the junior kart. The last race in the mini was in December and the first in February for the juniors. It was winter in the Netherlands and there was no grip at all. We then decided to go to Valencia for a week to prepare ourselves well for the season. That certainly helped then. In my first year, I immediately became champion, which was truly a fairy tale.

PS: What are your strengths and weaknesses as a driver?

ED: I am consistent in the races in terms of times, which is my strongest point. Sometimes I make it difficult for myself to qualify. That’s what I’m working hard on. Things have been going better and better in the last races!!

PS: How have you been preparing for the training camp? What’s your training schedule like?

ED: We drive at least twice a week and I also train at the KNAF(ASN).There I get a schedule of what I need to do to become fitter and stronger to get the best out of myself.

PS: What are your takeaways from the training camp?

ED: I learned how to better find position on the track during qualifying and how I can be more effective during exercise and recover better and more quickly.

PS: How do you balance your racing, training, and your school work?

ED: I have good agreements with the school. I do my homework, and if I miss something, I get extra attention from the school to catch up.

PS: More in the long term, if you want to keep going up the ladder, what do you need to still work on?

ED: If I get fitter and stronger, I’m sure I can handle the boys even better. I would like to show that with the Girls on Track program I am improving step by step through all the opportunities that are offered to me.