Joanne Ciconte

The industry is on fire with female talent entering motorsport. Increased media attention, more initiatives and more sponsors are showing genuine interest in the future of women's racing. The space is ripe for young race car drivers  like Joanne Ciconte to forge their paths and WinA was thrilled to chat with Joanne while she was in Europe racing in the F4 Spanish Championship with the DX Racing team.

Tell us a bit about what you do and what you are up to in the next 12 months?

Hello! I'm Joanne Ciconte, and I'm a 15-year-old Formula 4 racing driver from Australia. I started racing karts when I was nine and have been competing across Australia for about six  years. In 2023, I was super excited to be chosen from 115 entries to represent Australia in the FIA Ferrari Drivers Academy Girls On Track Program in Italy. The program picked the best female drivers worldwide aged 14-16 years. It was my first time driving an F4 car, and I fell in love with it! I worked my way up to the finals at the famous Ferrari headquarters in Maranello and Fiorano Race Circuit. The program really helped me kickstart my career, and since then, I've been training in Europe and Australia, gaining skills and experience in F4 racing and test days. 2024 has been amazing so far, and I'm putting all my energy into working towards earning a spot in the all-women's F1 Academy series. I'm fortunate to be working with some incredible international and national mentors like Giancarlo Fisichella, Marco Ciocci, Australia's own open-wheel talent, Tim Macro, and to have the support of Kaboodle. Outside of training and racing, I love spending time with my family. I get along really well with my mum, dad, and younger brother, they always know how to make me laugh.

What's been a stand-out highlight through your motorsport experiences so far?

From all the many wonderful experiences in motorsport, my all-time favourite was driving a Formula 4 car under the guidance of Ferrari and Prema Racing at Ferrari's own test track Fiorano. The first time I drove a F4 was an amazing feeling and to do that with Prema and Ferrari was a dream come true!

Where did this love for racing and cars come from?

My dad was a huge fan of formula and motorsports generally and he had karted a little when he was younger. My dad introduced my younger brother to go karting and I used to go and watch him race and practice. I was always so eager to have a drive, and eventually I convinced my dad. I loved it, and it quickly became my greatest passion in life. 

What has surprised you about race car driving and the industry?

What has surprised me most are the many different techniques used to train the drivers. I have worked with a few driver trainers and race teams, and I love how each of them has a slightly different approach and technique. I try to use the different learnings to create what I feel is the ultimate approach. Motorsports is hugely competitive no matter what series you drive. A difference of 1/10th of a second can mean the difference between 1st or 10th and to understand how to be consistent from one lap to another really gives you a new perspective of how tight the racing can be. I like to describe racing as a sport where men and women can compete together on equal terms, so it surprises me that there aren’t as many female drivers. 

How do you juggle everything - school, travel, friends? What do your friends think of it all?

Getting used to the traveling and time zone differences has, at times, been challenging. I'm now enrolled in online schooling which helps me make the most of my time. I have learnt to be well organised, with planning my day so that I can get it all done. My friends and family are all super supportive. They’re always there to help and are full of encouragement. Most of my friends are very interested in understanding what it feels like when racing and ask how fast we can go.

Tell us about a tough time and how you overcame it?

I was competing in the Victorian State Titles, feeling well-prepared after winning the Australian Pink Plate title at the same circuit. During free practice, I was running third fastest on the grid, and the team's spirits were high. Unfortunately, during qualifying, I was hit from behind and bumped off the track before completing even one lap, which meant I couldn't qualify. Because I didn't have a qualifying lap time, my dad had to request permission for me to continue racing, which was granted. However, this meant I had to start from position 43 (P43), which was so far back that there wasn't even a grid position for it. Over the course of the weekend, I made more than 80 overtakes, eventually starting the final race in P6. Unfortunately, during the final, there was a collision on the front row, forcing me to veer off the track to avoid it. By the time I re-joined the race, the entire field had taken off, and all my hard work from the weekend was undone in an instant. Although I was disappointed with the result, I felt proud of my effort to fight back. Racing has taught me resilience and the importance of never giving up.

If you could have one major sponsor on your car, who would it be and why?

If I could have one major sponsor on my car, I would love it to be Mecca. Their commitment to empowerment and diversity truly resonates with my own values as a female racer striving to break barriers in motorsport. Mecca is not only an iconic Australian brand known for celebrating individuality and self-expression, but they also actively promote inclusivity, which is incredibly important in all fields, including racing. Partnering with Mecca would feel like a powerful statement, showcasing that women can excel in any industry, including motorsport. Ultimately, I believe the key to any successful sponsorship is finding a connection where both sides feel inspired and proud to support one another.

What's the end goal?

Definitely to show the world that females are the future of Formula 1 and can race alongside the best. My end goal and dream is to be the first Female Australian Formula 1 driver and champion!

What are your Daily Habits that help you succeed? What tools do you use?

Being physically and mentally prepared is essential so I work a lot on fitness and the mind. Drivers face significant physical and mental challenges on and off the track. I train daily at the gym to keep my body consistently strong to help with the physical stress and forces on track. I also attend weekly sessions at an Athlete training centre, focusing on concentration and cognitive training to help build a strong mindset for racing. I spend a lot of time training on simulators and consider them to be a must have tool in preparation.  

Top three things you must be good at to be a race car driver?

Consistency on and off the track is key. Having fast reactions to make the right choice under high pressure circumstances is fundamental. You must be good at working together with multiple teams such as engineers, driver trainers and people in general, all with one thing in mind, and that's to work out how to continuously improve speed, technique, and strategy.  

One piece of advice to girls thinking about racing?

My advice to all girls thinking about racing is… do it! It's important to begin in karting because this is the place where you can learn the fundamentals of race craft that can be used throughout the various disciplines in motorsport. Start out at your local hire kart place and work your way up to competition karting at your National Karting Association. 

If you weren’t racing cars, what career would you choose? Dream career?

I have always had a love for race cars, in particular Formula 1. Obviously racing Formula 1 is my ultimate dream, but if I had to choose another discipline other than driving, it would definitely be driver training. I can see how challenging and rewarding it would be to help the future generation reach their full potential.