In Conversation with Hilâl Olgun

Guest blog by Thiemo Albers-Daly

Hilâl Olgun is a Turkish Rally Co-Driver who has been fascinated by the world of motorsport ever since she was a child.

As motorsport has steadily grown in Turkey, especially for women, Hilâl took this opportunity to get involved herself and became a Navigator, competing in her first race in 2022 with more under her belt since then.

We caught up earlier this year to chat about how her career is going so far, how much the trophy she won at TOSFED meant to her, her philosophy for life and much more.

I hope you enjoy our conversation.

What first got you interested in Motorsport?

Since my childhood, cars have always been my field of interest. However, the races I watched and the adrenaline involved made me interested in motorsports.

Tell me about the motorsport world in Turkey. Is it big? What is it like? Are there many other women involved?

Turkey is a very suitable country geographically in terms of motorsports. Under the management of the Turkish Automobile Sports Federation (TOSFED), Turkey has hosted and continues to host many races in many branches.

The rate of female athletes has now reached 12% in Turkey and we know that the world average is only 2%. I can say that I am in a really lucky country.

Why did you want to be a Rally Co-Driver instead of a different role in racing?

Pilot and co-pilot are two inseparable things in the rally. We cannot say that one is different or superior to the other, but if you say why the right seat, doesn’t a correct foresight make you faster and isn’t speed more important than anything else?

When did you first start competing? Tell me about your first race.

My desire to participate in the races coincided with the pandemic process and the race I would participate in could not be held in those years. I participated in a race for the first time in 2022 without any training and I did not achieve any success. 😀

How would you describe 2023? What were your highlights?

2023 was a full year for me in terms of motorsport. One of the most important ones was the international Transanatolia race in Turkey. In this seven-day race, we crossed the borders of 17 provinces and finished the 2350 km course. My rally career started by participating in the Kocaeli and Istanbul rally, also held in Turkey.

What was the most challenging thing that you have had to overcome so far and how did you overcome it?

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to reach and progress in motorsports in our country as it is in the world. Thanks to the positive discrimination policies of TOSFED’s women’s commission, I participated in the co-pilot training, which is one of the exemplary projects, and had the opportunity to compete.

Tell me about the trophy you won at TOSFED and how much did this mean to you?

In 2023, I finished the TOSFED looking for your star race, in which 54 women participated and which was held in 3 stages at the Körfez race track, by taking the 3rd place trophy. It is very valuable for me because it is the first race I won individually and because it has increased my passion even more and if it can be, it is very valuable for me to inspire everyone who is interested in this sport like me.

Where would you love to race in the future and who would you love to race alongside or against?

I would love to participate in rally races abroad with my pilot friend with whom I am currently competing and represent our country and be successful in races.

What philosophy guides your decisions and actions in life?

Never give up.

What is the last thing that made you laugh uncontrollably?

Following my passions has always made me a very happy person. The successes that came with my passions always made me laugh. Never give up on things that make you laugh.

Thank You to Hilâl for taking the time to chat and best of luck for everything in 2024.