Alice Powell and Abbi Pulling Prove the Pulling Power of SR10

“I was always a fan of motorsport, ever since I can remember,” recalls Alice Powell. “My grandfather took me to an indoor kart track in Grove, Oxfordshire, near Williams, and I loved it. After moving to outdoor karting at eight or nine years old, I’ve never looked back.”

Alice made her name in the Formula Renault BARC Championship, clinching the title in 2010. She says: “My dream was to get to Formula 1, but not coming from a motorsport background I didn’t have much idea what it would cost – we quickly realised that sponsorship was going to be key. I have had some fantastic sponsors throughout my career, but I had to take a five-year break from racing. That was just down to sponsorship, even though I had won the Formula Renault Asia championship in 2014.”

Alice was thrust back into the limelight in 2019, with the launch of the W Series. She finished third that year, and second in 2021, taking the British Grand Prix support-race win. “It was the first time the British fans had been back to Silverstone since COVID, and the atmosphere was incredible,” she remembers.

“Being a British driver, racing at your home GP in front of such an amazing crowd – and to win it – was amazing.”

Alice returned to the W Series for 2022, taking third place in the standings with one win and four podiums. The end of ’22 also saw her back in a Radical for the first time since 2011; on that occasion, she got to sample the SR3.

“I loved the car,” she says. “I raced at Snetterton just as it launched the 300 circuit.”

The SR3 certainly made an impression: “It was almost like driving an oversized go-kart – and the racing was really close, with a big field. The car’s responses and handling were really enjoyable – it’s a shame it took so long for me to have a go in a Radical again.”

That chance came in September 2022. “I’ve known [marketing head] Jon Roach at Radical for ages, through a simulator company that has supported me over the years. He moved to Radical, and we kept in touch,” Alice explains.

The date was set for September 18, the final round of the Radical Cup UK on the Donington Park GP circuit. Alice would share driving duties with Abbi Pulling, part of the Alpine Affiliate programme that she supports. “I work with Alpine on talent development within the academy – we have six girls who are currently in karting aspiring to be in F1,” says Alice.

The duo did not get a chance to practice with the SR10 due to Abbi’s Formula 3 test, which Alice supported. Then, to make their preparations even more challenging, the heavens opened just before the race itself.

“We were sitting in the holding area, and we were wondering whether to go out on slicks or wets – but everyone chose to stay on slicks because the sun came out and the track started to dry quickly,” Alice remembers. “It was still a little sketchy to start off with, but that’s going to be the same for any car on slicks when it’s a bit damp."

Despite being dropped into the car with minimal preparation, as well as Alice’s relative inexperience in endurance racing, the duo recorded a class win on their debut. “Coming through the field, and the battles we had, were really fun,” she recalls.

Alice was particularly impressed with the SR10’s grip. “Obviously it has a lot less downforce, because it’s not a single-seater, but the floors and rear wing were really effective,” she says. “I have to admit that I was too early on the brakes at times. The level of grip surprised me – the Radical had similar braking points to the single-seaters I drove around Donington years ago.”

The extra performance from the SR10 didn’t overwhelm the car, as Alice explains:

“It’s a great machine for drivers who want a powerful car, because the grip doesn’t shock you and you can change the weight of the steering. Abbi and I drive heavy single-seaters, so we were able to get it fairly heavy on the wheel so we could get a good feel of the road. However, the power steering is adjustable, and you can have a little bit more assistance if you feel you need it.”

Despite having 425bhp on tap and 380lb ft of torque flowing through the rear wheels, the SR10 doesn’t bite, Alice adds. “There’s a lot of horsepower behind it, but when you put your foot down it doesn’t immediately snap or kick the rear out – I just felt comfortable driving it. There was never a moment when I couldn’t push through a certain corner – I could take the Craner Curves near enough flat.”

This adaptability also applies to driver changes in endurance racing. “It’s quite easy to change the controls to suit another driver,” says Alice. “For situations where there is one small driver and one tall driver, you can quite quickly whip out the seats or foam padding in order to make the change.”

She is full of praise for both Radical and the culture of the paddock. “For anyone who is thinking about having a test drive in the SR10, I’d thoroughly recommend it,” she says.

“Radical UK was extremely helpful, and the paddock is really friendly.”

For Alice, 2023 will see her continue to work with Alpine and driver coaching, as well as doing TV commentary work. “There’s not going to be much time for racing, but hopefully I’ll be behind the wheel of a Radical at some point.”

Discover the latest Radical SR10 XXR here…