Who was Lella Lombardi? Meet the first woman in F1 history to score points 50 years ago
Lella Lombardi (via Getty Images)
Half a century ago, when life was very hard for women,
Lella Lombardi
was breaking all barriers, becoming the first—and to this day the only woman to have scored points in a
Formula 1
Grand Prix. She did it at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix, opening new doors in the historically male world of the sport. Her legacy continues to motivate generations of lady drivers as a sign of courage in the face of the most formidable challenges.
Lella Lombardi: A woman motorsport pioneer racing through all barriers
Born in Italy, Frugarolo, Lella Lombardi had always desired to compete and had started the process with karting and progressively moved up into Formula Monza and Formula Three. She was the first woman to race and qualify for a Formula 1 Grand Prix since Maria Teresa de Filippis in 1958, and she did this in 1975. She broke through at the Spanish Grand Prix, where she came sixth—a finish, given the fact that the race had been shortened due to a crash, that left her half a point ahead. She was the first woman to score points in Formula 1.
She also became the first female to qualify and compete in the Race of Champions at Brands Hatch in 1974 and place 14th. She also had success in sports car racing when she won the 6 Hours of Pergusa and the 6 Hours of Vallelunga and competed in the top-category 24 Hours of Le Mans four times.
Although Lombardi herself retired from competing in 1988, she stayed in the sport as an entrepreneur when she formed
Lombardi Autosport
in 1989. Her impact on the sport of racing goes far beyond her racing years. Lombardi continues to be an inspiration to female competitors around the globe, showing all individuals that passion, will, and ability can be the key to success regardless of gender.
Also read:
The future of women in F1: Will we See a female driver in formula 1 soon?
Five decades ago, Lella Lombardi made history in Formula 1. The sole woman to have gained points in the sport, she not only broke the glass ceiling but also provided an opening for generations of women to come to follow and pursue their own motor racing dreams. Her legacy gives hope to those who dream big in the motorsport world today, proving that the path to success is far from gender-based but purely by willpower.
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