Gladys Lam, Singapore’s accredited female race-car driver, tells us about her life in the fast lane.
Singapore - "Race-car driver” is used in the same way for all genders as the term “actor”.
So yes, we’re aware that in certain quarters, highlighting the fact that the 20-something Miss Gladys Lam is a female racer is frowned upon.
However, we reckon it’s worth mentioning especially since she operates in a segment dominated primarily by male racers.
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“I grew up in an environment where I was taught women shouldn’t drive (Ed: yes, believe it or not!). This didn’t sit well with me, but me being me, I felt a desire to challenge the stereotype,” the feisty Lam tells us.
It all helps to underscore her perseverance against the glass ceiling and how she has prevailed in her journey towards her FIA-accredited “International C” racing licence, which requires regular annual participation in officially-sanctioned races to maintain.
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Furthermore, Gladys has chosen to become a racer in Singapore – one of the most expensive countries in the world to be indulging in cars.
"It's an honour to represent Singapore in motorsports, and I take great pride in it," she says with a twinkle in her eye.
All in, you wouldn’t blame her for raging against the machine, except she has channelled all that fire and brimstone into something more productive – racing.
“Being in a male-dominated field has its challenges, but it's also very rewarding. The race-car doesn’t care if you are a man or a woman. Once you put that helmet on, it’s all about how you drive,” Gladys says.
The petite Lam continues, “One of the challenges for me is the physical aspect – females lack the same muscle mass as males, so it's something I work extra hard on. Racing is physically demanding and mentally exhausting, so it’s about training the mind too, but this only motivates me to work even harder.”
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In the prohibitively expensive world of motor-racing, it isn't enough to just be able to drive, because the race-car driver is expected to drive funds to support his/her race-seat and the team too.
Lam’s first races in 2019 were self-funded, but since then, she’s worked with incredibly supportive sponsors who believe in her and trust her to represent their brands.
“Without their support, my racing journey would have been impossible,” she tells us.
With almost 58k followers on Instagram, Gladys is also an “influencer” with a decently viral impact. This content creating social aspect of her persona was developed during the COVID-19 lockdown in her quest for sponsorship money.
“There were no races happening and everyone was stuck at home. However, I noticed that some people were creating content to connect with their audiences and to secure sponsorships, which is very important in the world of racing. I decided to give it a try with my “basic” 8MP phone and started to film my life with cars and bikes,” she elaborates.
However, exposing her life to all and sundry didn’t come naturally to the intensely private Gladys.
“My close friends were involved in the initial process and happily threw car keys my way as content fodder. Sharing the joy of cars was part of the fun! The videos started gaining traction and I am grateful for the support and opportunities that came through content creation. It’s been a great way to share my journey and connect with others who love and appreciate similar things like cars and racing as much as I do,” she smiles girlishly.
Given her life both on-track and off- have become a matter of public scrutiny, it’s little surprise that some of her female followers look up to Gladys as a role model because she motivates them to pursue their dreams, especially in male-dominated industries.
“I don’t actively live my life trying to be a good role model. I am not perfect and I make mistakes. However, I do recognise that my journey has inspired others and it’s humbling to know that my story can motivate others to follow their dreams,” she tells us.
Gladys goes on to say, “So while being a role model was not something I intentionally set out to become, I try to show that with hard work, determination and passion, anything is possible… irrespective of gender."
