In a male-dominated sport, it can be easy to forget that there are women in motorsports making a name for themselves. There are currently no women on the grid in F1, and only one woman has ever scored points in it. Lella Lombardi drove in F1 from 1974-76 and scored 0.5 points. The future of women racing in F1 is becoming much more promising thanks to the W Series (Women’s Series). Until we see a female driver on the F1 grid, let’s celebrate the women in motorsport.
Susie Wolff
She is married to Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, but Susie Wolff has been making a name for herself in motorsports since she was eight. After karting in her childhood, she raced in Formula Renault, Formula Three and, briefly, Formula 1. In 2012, she signed as a development driver for the Williams F1 team and participated in two practices with the team. Wolff retired from F1 in 2015, dedicating herself to help women in motorsports instead. She is now the CEO of Venturi Racing in Formula E. She has co-founded Dare to be Different, an organisation aiming to increase the number of women participating in motorsports.
Jamie Chadwick
Jamie Chadwick is an up-and-coming motorsports champion. She has won both Women’s Series Championships as well as competing in the Race of Champions alongside David Coulthard. Like Wolff, she is a development driver for the Williams F1 team. Chadwick was born in Bath and is of Indian heritage, and she began karting at the age of 11. She transitioned to single-seater racing in 2017. She has competed in various Formula races and is returning to the Women’s Series in 2022. It’s clear that Chadwick has a bright future in motorsports ahead of her.
Stephanie Travers
Stephanie Travers, a Zimbabwe-born Chemical Engineering graduate, is a trackside fluid engineer for PETRONAS, the title partner of the Mercedes F1 team. Travers works closely alongside the likes of Sir Lewis Hamilton and is one of the few women who work within STEM in motorsports. She is also the first ever black woman to stand on an F1 podium. Hamilton invited Travers on the podium after his win at the Styrian Grand Prix in 2020.
These women prove that there is a place for females in racing and shows just how much opportunity there is in the world of motorsports for future generations. Whether it be engineering, driving or working on the business side, women in motorsports are people to look out for.