TEAM AVAGO TO RUN ALL-FEMALE WERA ALLIANCE ACADEMY SQUAD
Team Avago will run an all-female, multi-car team on behalf of the Wera Alliance Racing Academy in the 2026 MINI CHALLENGE Trophy.
The race-winning outfit has joined forces with both Wera and Alliance Racing for the programme, which will see Liona Theobald, Lexie Powell and siblings Ellena and Beanie Reece all make their series debuts.
The announcement of the Cooper programme also means that the Wera Alliance Racing Academy will have a presence in two MINI CHALLENGE classes this year after the news that Alfie Garford and Murray Richardson will step up to JCW Sport.
“[Alliance Racing owner] Pete Osborne and I are extremely excited about our WeraTools/Alliance Racing Academy plans for this season, including what we believe is the first time for an all-female team of drivers competing in a mainly male dominated championship,” Ian Walford, Managing Director, Wera Tools UK, said.
“We welcome Beanie Reece, Ellie Reece, Lexi Powell and Liona Theobald into the Academy for the first time and look forward to their rookie year in the very competitive Cooper class of the MINI CHALLENGE. It is an objective of the Academy to select drivers from a young and starting position in a competitor development programme to help them on the way in their racing careers, and this very much includes females.
“Along with the experience of Team Avago, we will provide support and motivation for them to progress and we look forward to celebrating eventual podiums and championships with them.”
Theobald is perhaps the most experienced of the quartet having made her racing debut in the Ginetta Junior Winter Series back in 2021. Since then she had rising through the ladder and most recently competed in a GT4-spec Ginetta, with the move to the MINI CHALLENGE marking her first season in front-wheel drive.
“I am absolutely thrilled to join the Wera Alliance Racing Academy for the 2026 season in the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy alongside Team Avago,” she said. “I am very grateful to everyone who is involved in making this possible and I am so excited to start this new journey together!
“I can’t wait for the racing to begin, to develop as a driver, learn new techniques, enjoy every minute in the car and of course push for those results together. See you on track!”
Lexie Powell is no stranger to motorsport having grown up in the race paddock cheering on her dad Steve in the British Truck Racing Championship.
Having launched her own racing career in the Junior Saloon Car Championship, she will now move into senior racing for the first time.
“Joining the Wera Alliance Racing Academy is a really big deal for me,” she said. “I am still so new to racing and to have Wera support and their belief in me means so much. I hope this is the start of a long and successful journey.”
“I am excited about the move into MINI CHALLENGE, the cars look and sound amazing and I really think they will suit my driving style. I have a lot to learn but I cannot wait to get started and see what I can achieve this year “
Ellena and Beanie Reece meanwhile join the grid with vastly different backgrounds, with Ellena having previously competed in pre-war machinery and Beanie moving over from two-wheels having raced in motocross.
“Joining the Wera Alliance Racing Academy is a fantastic opportunity and I can’t wait to get behind the wheel of the MINI Cooper this season,” Ellena said. “My background in historic motorsport has shaped my passion for racing, and I’m looking forward to building experience, improving consistency, and learning as much as possible alongside such a supportive and driven team. I’m hugely grateful for the opportunity and so excited for the year ahead!”
”I’m incredibly excited and truly grateful for the opportunity to compete in the MINI CHALLENGE Trophy as part of a four-car women’s team,” Beanie added. “It means so much to be involved in something new and inspiring through the Wera Alliance Academy. I know it will be a steep learning curve, but I’m ready to embrace the challenge and can’t wait to get started.
“This season also marks an exciting new chapter for me as I make the transition from two wheels to four wheels. My goal is to gain as much experience as possible in the car, continually develop my race craft, and improve with every round. I’m determined to learn from every session, build consistency and confidence, and make strong progress throughout the season.”
