Throughout her career as a racing driver, Susie Wolff was often asked what it felt like to work in a male-dominated environment.

She found herself getting frustrated by the question as her own experience had led her to work alongside many women in the field.

What it did make her realise was that the sport she so loved was still very much perceived as being an industry mainly for men and that this image could be just as damaging.

She wanted to change this. She wanted young girls to have an open mind when thinking about their future jobs and to dream big from a young age.

"It is these young girls that are going to go on and maybe become successful in the sport if they are inspired at a young enough age," Susie says as a group of girls look on excitedly at a Williams F1 show car brought to Knockhill Racing Circuit for the day.

The former F1 test driver from Oban joined 100 school girls from ten Scottish schools at the one-day event called Dare To Be Different.

Founded by the Scot, this is the first time the project has taken place north of the border with the goal of showcasing every aspect of racing and opening young girls eyes to different opportunities within the sport.

While using motorsport as an example, the project is not just about finding the next F1 superstar but in fact about inspiring young girls to follow whatever their passions and aspirations are in life.

"We want to inspire young girls to dare to be different - to dare against what society expects of them," Susie says.

"Dare to be Different is not a short-term project, it is a long-term project and I am not aiming to get every little girl that comes to the events into motorsport, it is just about being able to give her something in her life which will go on to help her later down the road.

"I think we are opening them up to so many different opportunities here that it gives them confidence.

"They can say 'wow, I drove a car, wow, I built a hovercraft or stood next to a Formula 1 car.

"All these things are great opportunities and I hope they will bring something positive into their lives now or later on in life."

The school pupils spent the day taking on engineering challenges at a makeshift pit stop, testing their reaction speed against Jenson Button's Batak record time, find out about nutrition and fitness regimes and trying out a karting track session.

On hand to help out, Susie hopes the practical experience will spark a determination in these young girls to follow their own passion, something she says was instrumental in her success within motorsport.

"I'm a big believer in following your passion in life," she says. "And I loved racing. It was that passion that took me to the world of Formula 1.

"There were many many disappointments along the way but I am someone who is very determined when I put my mind to something.

"There were so many people telling me that I couldn't do it that it made me even more determined to make sure that I could.

"I think role models are really important. Sometimes in life you have to see it to believe it.

"For me, it was important to give something back to the sport that gave me so much."

Driving female talent

After sampling some of the roles within the motorsport industry, pupils from Hill of Beath Primary spoke about their dreams for the future.

Millie Beeson, 10: "I want to be a policewoman.

"I just always like helping people and making them feel happy.

"I think you can be whatever you want to be no matter if you are a woman or a man."

Amy Folks, 10: "I want to be a vet. I've got loads of pets and I have grown up with them... I just love pets."

Ellie Simpson, 11: "I want to be a dancer. Most people in my family are dancers.

"They said [today] we can do anything if you try anything so that has inspired me to be a dancer even more.

"Anybody can be what they want to be."

Nell Scrimshaw, 11: "I want to be a nurse.

"Everybody should be able to choose what they want to do for a job. You can follow your dreams."

Remi Wadham, 11: "I watch a whole bunch of things on the TV and have always wanted to be an actress. It is something I dream about.

"I still want to be an actress, it doesn't really matter what anyone says.

"Today has shown me that people can do whatever they want."

Emma Wallace, 10: "I want to work with animals.

"When Susie told us about how, when she was younger, she liked to ride race cars - it just shows you that girls can do anything.

"I have never been karting before so I would like to try it."