COTSWOLD racing driver Alice Powell has taken another step towards breaking into the GB Winter Olympics squad.

Powell, 21, has successfully come through the second phase of selection on the Power2Podium talent scheme, which unearthed current Skeleton Olympic champion, Lizzy Yarnold.

Alice said: “I was ecstatic when I received the news.

"I gave it my all at phase two, and I am looking forward to the new challenge in phase three.”

Her on-track activities are also going well.

Alice, a former Cotswold School pupil, recently made history by becoming the first female to win a race in the Formula Renault Asia Series on her first race in China.

After running out of budget to carry on competing in the British F3 Championship, Alice was selected by FRD from China, to race in the Asian series.

After qualifying in third place, Powell chased down the leader Maxx Ebenal and when he was slow out of the first corner on the last lap, Alice pounced to take a winning lead.

For race two, the BRDC Rising Star lined up in third place. However, her race was cut short, when a bit of over steer at the last corner, saw her spin off into the pit wall.

“Race one was amazing," said Alice.

"The team have worked so hard, and my engineer (Paul Leach) has put in a lot of effort to get the car right. To make a bit of history, too, is also fantastic.

"Race two was very disappointing, but the rear floor had damage from some kind of debris on on the track after I collided with it on the warm-up lap.

"The car was very loose coming into the last corner, and I just could not control it. However, the win was very special, especially as I had not raced on that track before.”

Powell’s next race is on September 20, again in Zhuhai, China.

The next phase of the Power2Podium selection process is at the beginning of next month.