[HIRED] Tapiwa Arendse

Tapiwa Arendse
Net Handle: @t_Arendse
Nationality: South African
Birthday and Age: February 23rd, 16 YEARS OLD

Stats:
Skill: 11/30
Consistency: 7/15
Composure: 8/15
Tenacity: 3/15
Initial Hiring Cost: 100,000 CR
Experience Level: 25 (Total of Stats - 4); UNRANKED Driver Classification
% of Earnings Taken Per Race: 15%
Specialities: Endurance

Earnings:
EVENT & SEASON - PLACING - CR EARNED
Earnings for Season X = X CR
Lifetime Earnings = X CR

Summary:
The eldest daughter of Pretoria's best lawyer (Mphela Arendse), Tapiwa and her family are amongst the few to live well in South Africa. The cultural divide is great but this fact was shielded from Tapiwa and her sisters for the majority of their upbringing, her parents believing it would benefit the children when they learnt the truth at a "more relevant age". 

Unaware that such divide existed, Tapiwa was a girl of privilege and without limits. She first drove a go kart at age 5 and was completely addicted straight away. Mphela quickly bought her an early 6th birthday present in the form of a brand new go kart imported from Spain. A few years later, he owned the local go kart circuit itself and Tapiwa was treated to karting sessions whenever she liked. She entered championships and blew the competition away, still blissfully unaware of the class divide and that her go kart and circuit time was the envy of all she faced. She found a fondness to longer races believing that her hours of track time played to her advantage, seemingly not noticing that her rivals go karts would also break down in the South African heat far sooner than her twin cooled and well maintained engine supply. 

By the age of 12, she had rarely come up against a rival she could not beat. There were a few shocks along the way, but Tapiwa knew championships were about the long game and that when 1 race went wrong, it gave her a challenge in the next 5 to make up any lost ground. Mphela could not have been more proud, but storms were brewing over powers beyond their control. Sexism still exists strongly in South Africa, and officials began refusing entry for Tapiwa under the concern that she may want to become a professional racing driver, no fitting profession for a woman. Mphela grew more and more concerned that Tapiwa would suffer at the hands of her nation, and so turned to his friend Perry Brown for help through the Team Pezzarinho scholarship. Tapiwa was rejected by Perry however, stating no driver could buy their way into the scheme. Perry instead insisted that Mphela educate Tapiwa in the real South African culture she and her sisters were being "protected" from in order to better their understanding of the politics and role that motor racing can bring. 

Tapiwa was finally accepted in 2016 thanks to work carried out to level the playing field within the junior karting categories, and with the acknowledgement that the scholarship would help alleviate sexist views within South Africa and move motor sport forward in Africa in general. 

Roleplaying Notes:
- Tapiwa has benefitted from her families status in more than just her racing ability. She was placed in well funded schools and so is a very bright girl.
- Although smart, her parents have shielded her from some truths and so there is sometimes ignorance towards understanding others around her.
- Has 2 younger sisters, both have raced karts on a number of occasions and shown potential for motorsport, but lack desire currently.
- Tapiwa has so far concentrated solely on her school efforts and her racing, but is just reaching the age where she starts to notice boys... and a few girls.
- Was ranked 2nd in the 2016 Team Pezzarinho Scholarship Program.