Meet Paige Lindenberg, the only female in Motorsport South Africa’s Young Driver Academy
As one of three daughters born into the Lindenberg Racing dynasty – her dad and mentor, Peter Lindenberg, is a powerboat, waterski, and motorsport champion – Paige was practically on the road to victory before she could walk. She was a national powerboat champion at the age of nine, and a world champion by age 11.
Fast forward a few years, and Paige is once again showing her racing chops, albeit this time on the race track. As part of the Lindenberg race team, Paige races a 1968 Ford Escort and a 1968 Ford Fairlane in The Historic Tour, and also campaigns a fire-breathing 2016 Shelby Super Snake powered by Castrol EDGE. And it doesn’t stop there… Paige has just started racing a Formula Ford 1600 in national circuit racing, with Investchem.
From her on-track pursuits, Paige has attracted the attention of the global motorsport governing body, the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile). Through Motorsport South Africa, Paige is the only female in a group of 18 young racing drivers identified to participate in the FIA-endorsed Motorsport Development Academy.
As part of the programme, Paige has been required to complete in-car assessments, physical and psychometric evaluations (conducted at the University of Pretoria’s High Performance Centre), and a series of lectures aimed at priming her for her future race career. The MSA Motorsport Development Academy also places a strong emphasis on road safety, about which Paige is naturally passionate.
Another of Paige’s passions is her events company, The Exception Signature Events, established in 2013. Luckily for Paige, The Exception is often called upon to manage events that incorporate cars or racing, allowing her to engage with the things she loves most. A stand-out affair was the management of the Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ concours d’élégance at the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed, in England. The Goodwood Festival of Speed is one of the pre-eminent motoring events on the global society calendar.
Personal Insights and Fun Facts
- Paige grabs every opportunity thrown at her. She once landed a job for three months as a Snow Ski Instructor in Austria! And returned for the following two years…
- Paige and her father, Peter, are the first father-daughter racing team in South Africa (and possibly the world).
- She loves help various charities, and is in the process of starting her own charitable organisation.