No Runway, No Nerves: Jemma Moore's Indian Racing League Gamble

Last Updated:February 11, 2026, 12:00 IST

Jemma Moore’s Indian Racing League debut has come fast and fearless — just a week’s notice, a new country, and her first shot in single-seaters — as she heads to Goa chasing chaos.

Excerpts from the interview

Q: How have things been since the race weekend was confirmed? What’s the general feeling heading into your debut?

Jemma Moore: To be honest, everything happened very late. I had about a week’s preparation. I was still working at the time — I’m self-employed — so I had to take a bit of a step back to sort visas, race gear, and everything that comes with it.
Now that it’s slowed down a bit, it’s starting to feel real. It’ll be my first time in India and my first time racing formula cars. I’ve only raced GT cars before, so I’m genuinely excited to try something completely new.

Q: How did this opportunity with the Indian Racing League come together so suddenly?

Moore: It came through Jon Lancaster, who I’ve known for years. My elder brother raced with him, and my sister Sarah raced in the same series as him too. Sarah was asked if I’d be interested, and that was pretty much it.
I spoke to Jon about the championship — he coached me in America during Porsche testing — and he said it was a great series to be part of. After that, it felt like an obvious yes. You don’t turn down the chance to come to India and race

Q: Despite how sudden it’s been, you seem very calm. Are nerves ever an issue for you?

Moore: I’ve honestly never really had nerves. I think that comes from how I was brought up. From a young age, we had top drivers training at our facilities — Lando Norris, for example, trained alongside my brother.
When you see people like that every day, excellence feels normal. It makes you think, if they can do it here, why can’t I?

Q: Motorsport runs deep in your family. Was there ever a moment where racing wasn’t the plan?

Moore: Not really. It’s in our blood. My parents, grandparents, siblings — everyone raced. We had a kart circuit and a race circuit, and from a young age I was always helping out, watching my brothers and sisters.
I remember constantly telling my parents, I want to do this. I want to be like them. It always felt inevitable.

Q: Were there any major hurdles early in your career?

Moore: The biggest challenge was transitioning from karting into cars at 14. My brother was a factory driver, and as a family we were travelling a lot to support him. That meant I missed some testing opportunities.

At that age, missing out feels huge. But it taught me how to plan, how to make the most of the time I did have. With the right support system, hurdles become manageable rather than defining.

Q: As a female driver, do you feel the sport is finally changing?

Moore:

Definitely. When I started, there were no structured pathways — you had to find your own funding and opportunities. Now there are programs like More Than Equal and F1 Academy, even starting at karting level.

That foundation didn’t exist before, and it’s a massive step forward for female drivers.

Q: Social media shows the glamour of motorsport. What do people not see?

Moore: They don’t see the lows — and that’s actually the most important part. You don’t jump into a championship and win straight away.

The lows teach you how to get to the highs. If today didn’t go your way, how do you make tomorrow better? That’s the real journey.

Q: Finally, what does racing in India represent for you at this stage?

Moore: It’s new exposure, a new culture, a new type of racing. I know a lot of the drivers already, which helps, but the challenge is real.
I’m excited to learn, to test myself, and to see what I’m capable of in a completely different environment.

The Goa Street Race (Round 4 of the Indian Racing League) will be broadcast live on Star Sports Select 2 and streamed on JioHotstar, with tickets available via the District by Zomato app and website.

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