DUBAI // Such has been the tragic triumph of Christina Nielsen’s year that when she sits on the grid today at the Dubai Autodrome, cocooned alone inside her Porsche 911, she will be accompanied by cherished memories of two late co-pilots.
Nielsen, from Denmark, started 2013 partnering compatriot Allan Simonsen in the ADAC GT Masters. The only female in the series, she combined with Simonsen to post the first Gentleman Class victory of the season in April and took a further three successive podiums before Simonsen crashed during the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June and died shortly later in hospital.
Nielsen, 21, struggled to deal with the death of Simonsen, a family friend who had also raced alongside her father, Lars Erik.
“Getting back in the car for the first time was really hard,” said Nielsen, who went on to win the class championship. “At the first race, it was unbelievable, seeing the car again and driving it. I broke down; it was too much … overwhelming.
“When I arrived at the race track, everything made me cry. Seeing people with their co-drivers, seeing his photo had been removed and it was only me now, everything pointed out that I was alone. Luckily, Sean Edwards stepped in.”
Edwards, a 26-year-old Briton, partnered Nielsen and the two struck up a friendship. Such was his schedule in the Porsche Supercup and American Le Mans Series that he could not co-pilot at every race, but the two remained in regular contact.
On October 15, Edwards died in a crash while instructing Will Holzheimer during a private session in Queensland, Australia.
“We bonded quite quickly over that first race,” Nielsen said. “It was really nice to have someone there who also knew Allan and wanted to do the race to honour him. Having Sean around gave me the feeling again that there was hope I could get another co-driver who I would click with, someone who can do what Allan did for me.”
Nielsen, who describes Simonsen as “the light at the end of my tunnel”, now takes heart from the experience of having raced with such talents.
“This year, I really saw how awesome racing can be when you have a co-driver that you really click with and get along with,” the marketing and management student said.
“It gives you a whole new feeling of never being alone. People always say that it is cold at the top, but suddenly having a co-driver who you get along with, someone who is really a friend, it makes you feel like you have someone with you always.
On Friday, Nielsen takes part in the fourth race of the Porsche GT3 Middle East Challenge Cup in Dubai while at the same time Edwards’ former Team Abu Dhabi teammates will be paying their tribute in Abu Dhabi at the Gulf 12 Hours.
The Porsche series does not involve co-drivers, but the Dane said she can feel the presence of her late friends in the car with her.
“I feel they are racing with me,” she said. “I always feel they are sitting at my shoulder.”
After finishing eighth in the championship last season, Nielsen is determined to improve and feels her car is capable of finishing in the top five.
A disappointing opening race in Bahrain was followed up by a much-improved performance in the second event. At yesterday’s third race of the season, having qualified well and climbed to fifth, she slipped back and finished ninth.
“A Cup car is one of the cars you learn from the most,” Neilsen said.
“And I am learning a lot, especially regarding the explosiveness required to get ahead.
“Qualifying is so important in this series because the tracks are often dirty so it pays to start further up the grid. We are lacking a little bit, but still have the potential to be competitive.
“I am capable of finishing in the top five and if the conditions are right, a podium is possible,” she said.
“Allan got to the podium with my dad, so hopefully I can follow in their legacy and do the same and make a dream come true.”
gmeenaghan@thenational.ae
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