A FORMULA One fan’s childhood dreams came true when she got the chance to interview some of the sport’s leading names.

Kate Goodacre, of Northwich Road, in Higher Whitley, could not believe her luck when she was told she was one of 11 people shortlisted from thousands of entries in a European Bridgestone e-reporter young journalist’s competition.

The 24-year-old, who is nearing the end of a masters degree in journalism at the University of Salford, has been a fan of F1 since she was a child.

Kate, who did work experience at the Northwich Guardian when she was 15, said: “I was sat in front of the television colouring when I was nine-years-old and I think the German Grand Prix was on.

“I was just hooked and have been ever since.

“It was something that really intrigued me, it was so removed from anything that I have seen.”

Two days before the competition deadline, Kate frantically filled in the three detailed sections of the application, which asked her to come up with interview questions for a person involved in F1, a 300-word brief about a particular car and explain her enthusiasm for journalism.

She said she researched Ross Brawn, the brains behind Jenson Button’s recent success, and penned a number of questions including one about what he thought about Sir Richard Branson’s plans to introduce green fuel to the sport.

Several months later she received the call to say she had got through to the final, along with just one other person from the UK.

She said: “My mum, Michelle Samuels, was really, really pleased and proud.

“She screamed louder than I did.

“I shrieked and I think she was jumping up and down!”

The organisers whisked Kate off to the fifth round of the GP2 series at the German Grand Prix in July to interview a host of drivers including Sebastien Buemi and Ayrton Senna's former race engineer.

She said the best part of her four-day trip was being able to hear the F1 cars.

She said: “As the weekend progressed, my confidence grew tremendously and I got a real sense of the friendly rivalry that GP2 is now famous for.

“By the end of the weekend, I really felt at home thanks to the kindness and professionalism of everyone I’ve encountered in the paddock.”

The winner of the competition will be announced in September and will win a laptop, plus further work experience with a publication.

Kate is now looking for jobs and hopes to one day secure a career as a producer covering the BBC’s F1 coverage.

To see Kate in action visit bridgestone-ereporter.eu.