Charlotte Haegermark's blog

It feels good now that I know now what I?ll be driving this year. I?m doing karting in the German KZ2 Championship again this year. I?ve worked full time with sponsoring during the winter and of course physical training. I can say that I have never been so well prepared physically for a season, as I am now. Lot?s of training for the muscles and I feel really strong.

As for me and many other drivers, it has been so difficult to find partners in the overall financial crisis. But you have to struggle on and do as much as you can and hope for better times soon.

I?ve also spent some time this weekend in the garage and soon I?ll be doing the seat fitting and the correction of my pedals. You know I?m only 150 cm tall and we have to do a special arrangement for the pedals.

My first race will be 11th of April in Sweden and after that I?m headed for the German KZ2 Championship.

Just a short note about what I?m up to for the moment… I?m busy with sponsor meetings and preparations for the season. My first race, in ADAC Kart Masters, will take place at the karting track in Oschersleben (right next to the racing track) 4th-5th of April. Yesterday when I went home from work in the afternoon, It felt almost like spring! No more snow I hope!

Right after ADAC Kart Masters I?ll have a few practise days in Gothenburg, at Gothenburg Kart Practise Week 4th-10th of April (www.team13.se). This week is very popular and drivers come from many countries to practise.

Well, I have also posted a new video on my website: http://www.charlotteracing.se/sv/page/video

Take care.

Last week I was informed by the National Team Manager Celeste Galloni, that I had been nominated for the Swedish National Karting Team in 2009. As the only female, together with about 20 other drivers, I will represent Sweden in the gearbox class KZ2 in the German Championship.

The team will participate in a training camp at Bos?n, where the Swedish elite sports men and women have the majority of their physical training located. Looking forward to it!

As for many drivers, it will be hard to fund this season, but so far I have signed contracts with seven sponsors. I?m very happy for that!

Recently got home from Stockholm. We arrived on Friday and on Saturday it was time to participate in the KAK cup. Every year, The Royal Swedish Automobile Club arrange this indoor gokart cup with racing drivers, celebrities and business people.

In the endurance race, our team finished second, after setting a real good pace in the final! You can find more pictures on my website http://www.charlotteracing.se.

Just got home from a workout class at the gym, Bodypump. That?s one of my favourite classes because you work so much with weights and really strengthen all muscles in your body.

Other than Bodypump I go to MRL (stomach, bottom and thighs) and Bodycombat (stamina with karate, boxing, tai chi, taekwondo).

Now I?m going to continue with my new promotion video.

Bye bye.

Hope you all are well.

I have been busy during the past weeks with preparations for next season. Today I was on yet another sponsor meeting. It went well, and I hope we can arrange something good.

In late February I should have my plans for 2009 done.

?Til then, take care!

I just arrived in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden. I?m here once more for sponsor meetings. Well, let?s hope they go my way and wish me luck!

Now I?m leaving for a short visit in Stockholm. During my two days there I?m going on a couple of sponsor meetings. It?s always fun to meet the companies and discuss sponsorship opportunities.

So wish me luck!

Today at work, my colleague and I actually got the chance to have a work out. We decided to do the MRL session, when you focus on the stomach, bottom and thighs. It was a really good and challenging session. Probably will feel it in my body tomorrow morning…

This week I have two sponsor meetings and at the end of October I have a couple more in Stockholm. I?m very excited.

Last weekend I was in England in order to visit the Britcar 24h race and to do a test in a FPA car. The test took place at Bedford Autodrome about an hour drive north of London. The first hour was spent for seat fitting followed by two hours of track testing.

There were some differences in the driving technique, if I compare to karts, which made the driving difficult in many ways. The biggest difference was the gearbox which had an H-pattern shifting system rather than the sequential shifting that I?m used to and also the amount of brake pedal force you had to apply.

In the beginning of the session I took it pretty easy in order to acquaint myself with the car. In spite of that, I managed to do a few spins, slipping out into the grass and a 360 degree spin on the tarmac as well.

At first it was easy to be keen with the throttle coming out of the corners and entering the straights due to the turbo lag. You had to be really soft on the throttle and be aware of the turbo boost that would appear just after a moment.

It was a bit difficult for me, being a kart driver and having no experience in racing, to achieve the necessary driving rhythm in the beginning. In karting you have an extremely good control of your vehicle, while here you have other parameters such as springs and dampers, wings, turbo lag, limited visibility and of course a much heavier car which you have to get adapted to.

Towards the end of the session, I got a better pace. However, it quickly got dark in the evening, so after about 30 laps on the 1,8 miles long West Track it was time to head back to the garage.

Driving such a powerful racing car was really a fantastic experience for me, much different from what I had expected. But the more you practice the better you get. I hope that I will be able to do some more testing before the end of the season.