Jess Hawkins Set to Race PMR Astra at Snetterton

Power Maxed Racing have today announced that Jess Hawkins will contest rounds 22, 23 & 24 of the 2020 KwikFit British Touring Car Championship on the weekend of October 25th. Hawkins, who successfully tested one of PMR’s race-winning Astras in September, will see her first competitive BTCC drive on Snetterton’s fearsome 300 circuit.

25-year-old Hawkins is best known for her extensive karting experience, having won numerous titles throughout her career, with a highlight being the 2008 Honda Cadet British Open Championship.

2014 would see Jess’ first year of circuit racing, with a podium in the Michelin Clio Cup putting her firmly on the British motorsport radar. In 2017, Jess narrowly missed out on taking the overall Mini Challenge title, after winning 5 races and bagging 13 podium spots from 3 pole positions.

In 2019, she became an inaugural participant in the highly published W Series, which saw her racing all over the world-a series Jess was planning to compete in this year, until Covid restrictions put the championship on hold.

Jess has earned herself a reputation as a highly successful stunt driver, piloting a number of cars in The Fast & Furious Live shows, before jumping to stardom as one of the stunt drivers in the upcoming Bond movie, No Time To Die, along with a number of other high profile Hollywood productions. This unique experience has led to her being one of Jaguar Land Rover’s Ambassadors, and sees her working with the brand on numerous exciting projects.

She also appears in the 2021 Guinness Book of World Records, holding the record for driving the World’s Fastest Accelerating Lawnmower, with 0-100mph achieved in just 6.29 seconds on Honda’s 200bhp Fireblade-engined Mean Mower V2.

Adam Weaver, Team Principal – “I’m really excited about seeing what Jess can do in the Astra. She impressed us at her initial test session a few weeks ago, and judging by her results in front wheel drive machinery, should be a strong contender once she hits the Norfolk tarmac in a couple of weeks. Not only does she show phenomenal car control, as evidenced by her on-screen stunt credentials, but she’s a great person to work with, and shows tremendous commercial acumen.”

Jess Hawkins – “BTCC is where I’ve always wanted to be-it’s my dream. I’ve managed to knock on the door a few times, but I genuinely can’t believe it’s actually happening, especially with such a great team behind me in PMR. I have to give a massive thanks to FastR, Motorsport Legal, Clapham North MOT, Elliot Brown Watches and the Motorsport Collective for supporting me and giving me the support needed for this incredible opportunity. I hope it’s the first of many appearances on the grid for me!”

Fans will be able to watch Jess race at Snetterton live on ITV4 on Sunday, 25th October