International Women's Day takes place on Saturday 8th March, and is a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
It's also an opportunity for motorsport to shine a light on the role women are playing, and have played, in and around the pitlane.
From being in the driver's seat, to engineers and designers, to team principals and everything in between, women are key to the success and appeal of motorsport.
Life in the Fast Lane
Women in motorsport is not anything new. Maria Teresa de Filippis, an Italian racing driver, was the first woman to compete in Formula 1 in 1958, while Lella Lombardi is the only female driver to score points in Formula 1 at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix.
Modern female trailblazers include Susie Wolff, who was the first woman to compete in a F1 race for 22 years at the 2014 British Grand Prix, as well as racing in Formula 3 and the German DTM, plus being a test driver for Williams.
Danica Patrick became a worldwide superstar racing in IndyCar and NASCAR, and her fame was truly cemented with her victory in the 2008 Indy Japan 300, the only win by a female driver in an IndyCar Race Series.
Leading by Example
Behind any great racing driver is a great team which requires inspirational leadership.
Step forward Monisha Kaltenborn, the first ever female F1 team principal, who was the head of the Sauber Formula 1 team from 2012 to 2017 and was in charge of such drivers as Nico Hulkenberg and Marcus Ericsson.
Meanwhile, Claire Williams OBE was the deputy team principal of the Williams F1 team from 2013 to 2020 and achieved notable successes, not least leading the team to back-to-back third places in the Constructors' Championships.
Away from the Limelight
The United Kingdom is a global powerhouse in motorcar design, performance and engineering, being home to many F1 teams including McLaren, Aston Martin, Red Bull and Williams.
It's also the birthplace of British race engineer Leena Gade who has served as a lead race engineer in the FIA World Endurance Championship and IndyCar Race Series.
Leena's talent led her to being awarded the FIA's WEC “Man of the Year” award in 2012, the first time a woman has received the award.
Familiar Faces (and Voices)
Motorsport is enjoyed around the world, watched by millions on TV who are captivated by the exploits of their favourite racing drivers. Television brings the action into our homes and makes presenters almost as well-known as the competitors.
In the UK, Lee McKenzie is famous for presenting Channel 4's Formula 1 coverage, as well as previously for the BBC. Meanwhile, former racing driver Amanda Stretton has paved a highly successful career as a motorsport and automotive TV broadcaster.
And Not Forgetting…
The number of female fans is growing all the time and is reported to be 40% of the fan base for Formula 1. Women also attend more races, with one travel firm saying they now represent 50% of their client base.
With such strong support from female fans, and inspirational women within the sport itself, motorsport will continue taking the chequered flag for popularity and excitement.
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