Justina Williams on Breaking Barriers In Motorsport

Justina, you’ve got a diverse background before entering motorsport. How have your previous experiences as an electrician and financial planner influenced your approach to managing EXCELR8?

I think I have a very different background from most people who run a motorsport team. Usually, you’ve been a mechanic, maybe you own a garage and think, “I’d like to start a race team.” They come from a mechanic background, whereas my background has been a lot about business. Besides being an electrician and a financial planner, I also had a recruitment firm in London. That taught me a lot about client relationships and that the client is king to ensure repeat business and referrals; I ran the business without advertising, just through word-of-mouth.

As the only female Team Owner in BTCC, what unique challenges and opportunities have you encountered, and how do you navigate them?

I wouldn’t say I face any particular challenges as a female Team Owner. Yes, I’m female, but I focus on being the best I can be. I aim to do my job well, and I take pride in my accomplishments, hoping to earn respect along the way. Of course, not everyone will always like the decisions I make as a business owner, but it is business first and sport second. I feel very welcome in the paddock. When we started to get results on and off track, some team bosses approached me to compliment on the teams progress, which felt very supportive.

In the early days, there were a few surprised reactions. I remember a couple of guys who were in our garage and asked, “What do you do here?” I replied, “I run the team.” They were shocked and got the feeling they thought I did something like making the tea, not that what they could see was owned and managed by a female. But their surprise actually made me proud, like, “Look at what she’s built!” I believe any hurdles we face are self-imposed. Don’t hold yourself back and fight for what you want in life. I want everyone to be happy and enjoy being part of the team.

EXCELR8 has become a competitive force in BTCC. What has been the key to that rapid success?

I’d say it’s about taking risks and the team working incredibly hard. We initially bought two cars—not the fastest ones—but we needed them to obtain the racing licences to take part in BTCC. They were older models, so we knew we’d need to upgrade. We could’ve bought newer cars from another team or had them built for us, but I thought, “Why do that?” If we bought from another team, we’d be advertising for them. Instead, we chose to be different and take the risk of building our own cars, which the team had never done before and they ran faultlessly in the shakedown! And not only that but the Hyundai models had never been on the BTCC so we brought something new to the grid. Then we took the next risk of
building our own engines with Swindon PowerTrain and we won the championship that year!

Putting the focus back on empowering women in motorsport, I imagine that’s a significant part of your mission. What programs or initiatives have you implemented at EXCELR8 to support that goal?

Yes, we’ve introduced numerous opportunities for hands-on experience in different areas of the business, welcoming people from various backgrounds, from troubled backgrounds needing some help in life, still at school, college, university and some working as a Mechanic in a garage. A good example is Cassie. She joined us about eight years ago, coming in as a Mechanic from a garage with aspirations to be a Motorsport Technician. We trained her up, she became a Motorsport Technician and then a Head Technician, and eventually then moved into a management role. Now, Cassie is our MINI JCW and Cooper Workshop Manager and JCW Team Manager on race weekend. Remarkably, she’s about six months pregnant with her second child, but she remains as dedicated as ever. It’s been rewarding to see her growth from a Technician to a Manager.

Do you think more women approach you because you’re a female Team Owner?

Yes, definitely. I think people feel more open to approaching me over a male counterpart, especially as they see me publicly and about ‘see it to be it’. I’m known for responding quickly, thanks to a saying I picked up years ago: “Speed stuns.” So when a young woman, for example, approached me at Silverstone—a 16-year-old with the confidence to ask the team boss for work experience—I knew we had to bring her on board. She’s now been with us for two years and grown in that time to be a very capable member of the team!

What advice would you give to young people aspiring to work in motorsport, either as a driver, manager, or technician?

My advice is to break down any mental barriers. Don’t believe in limitations others may have set for you—especially if you’re a woman. Reach out, be professional, and make a strong first impression. I have worked as a recruitment consultant, so I understand how crucial those initial seconds are when someone reads your email or CV. And work experience is essential; it not only gives you hands-on learning but also the chance to secure references. We’re always willing to provide references for our team members who work hard and may move on to other opportunities.

Latest Stories