Latest news with #IronDames
Telegraph
a day ago
- Automotive
- Telegraph
Iron Dames: Why only all-female team racing at Le Mans have ‘advantage'
Once the sun has set at the Circuit de la Sarthe in the Pays de la Loire region, all that is visible are the slivers of light from headlight beams and the track LEDs. Driving around the 8.47-mile track, concentration cannot waver for a second and when news comes over the radio that rain is falling, Le Mans 24's greatest test begins. 'Everything about Le Mans is challenging,' Iron Dames GT3 racing driver Rahel Frey tells Telegraph Sport. 'The most difficult part is when it starts to rain during the night because you cannot see how much or where exactly [it is falling] in Le Mans. With such a long track in some corners it's already a lot of rain, some parts of the track is not raining yet at all. 'Then everybody gets stressed about communication, [it's] super important to make the right call, so rain during the night, that's the real challenge for me.' Endurance motorsport is like nothing else and Le Mans is the pinnacle. Formula One drivers and Moto GP riders might test themselves at the highest speeds, putting their nerves and bodies on the line, but racing for a team in a 24-hour event is different. Cars have been known to reach over 200mph in a battle to complete the most laps in the time limit on the circuit that has hosted the event since 1923. Drivers must pit themselves against each other without breaking the car and while sharing stints behind the wheel as part of a three-person team. The length of the race involves sleeping in bizarre stints and eating bowls of pasta at 3am. It is far from a sprint to the finish line. 'Not here just to be female in male-dominated sport' On Saturday, 62 cars and 186 drivers will line up to take to the start line across three disciplines – Hypercar, LMP2 and LMGT3. Of those 186 drivers, only five are women, including three from Iron Dames, the only all-female team at the event. There is no missing the Iron Dames on track, nor what they stand for. The bright pink rear wing and driver race suits make sure of that. Founded in 2018 by Deborah Mayer with the goal of supporting and promoting women in motorsport, the team have focused on endurance racing from the outset, competing in their first Le Mans in 2019. Frey, who first started karting in 1998, had never envisioned going into the endurance side of the sport before the opportunity presented itself and while she is a proud member of Iron Dames, first and foremost she is a racing driver. 'When we are in the car and we race, we don't feel that we are females. We are a driver and we want to go as fast as possible. We want to do our very best,' Frey says. 'We are here to compete, we are not here to be the Iron Dames, we are not here to just be female in a male-dominated sport, we are really here to be competitive.' Frey also thinks being an all-female team can also come with benefits, adding: 'I believe that we females who do endurance racing, we have an advantage. Because we communicate openly with each other but also with the team I would say – so far it has only helped me in endurance racing.' 'The biggest race of the year' Le Mans 24 is part of the 'Triple Crown of Motorsport', with the Monaco Grand Prix and Indianapolis 500 – and the Iron Dames will be racing against several drivers who are familiar with a Formula One car, including Jenson Button, Kevin Magnussen and Mick Schumacher. 'There is so much hype around the fact that it's Le Mans,' says Michelle Gatting, who has raced for six years with Iron Dames. 'I hype myself up because I know it's a little more. It's the biggest race of the year. Then I put a lot of expectations on myself, I want to prove, I want to deliver, but it's a lot of pressure to manage.' Gatting and Frey both have the drive and desire to continue to improve, eventually perhaps competing in the Hypercar discipline. Unfortunately for Gatting, she was forced to withdraw from this year's event after suffering a freak pit-lane injury and fracturing her foot during a test day. She has been replaced by Sarah Bovy but she is still well-placed to discuss the unique aspects of Le Mans. 'Endurance racing is special because it's really a team sport,' explains Gatting. 'Some people would say [we] drive around in circles. I would not really say it's driving around in circles, but we just really love what we do. 'We love our sport and it's so special going in those races, the 24-hour races, when you go into the night and it's such a special atmosphere. You see the sun set, you see the sun rise and it's quite unique. It's just the passion and the love for the sport and I think that's why we love endurance racing.' That message is echoed by the youngest driver on the team, 33-year-old Frenchwoman Celia Martin, who hopes to have the home crowd on her side at her first Le Mans. 'I'm just living the dream,' says Martin. 'I finally get the opportunity to race in a GT3, to race amazing championships and to race with super cool team-mates with a lot of experience, especially now for Le Mans – I could not have asked for more.'
The Independent
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
Health update after F1 Academy champion's fireball crash
Former F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia crashed during a Le Mans Cup race in Barcelona after her Porsche was hit from behind, causing it to hit a tyre barrier and catch fire. Garcia was briefly trapped in the smoke-filled car before marshals helped her escape through the passenger door. She was taken to the hospital for precautionary checks due to smoke inhalation but was released on Tuesday. The other driver, Elesio Donno, took responsibility for the incident. Garcia's team, Iron Dames, confirmed she is recovering well and thanked the marshals and medical staff.
The Independent
08-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Independent
F1 Academy champion gives health update after massive fireball crash
Former F1 Academy champion Marta Garcia has reassured fans she is recovering in hospital after a frightening fireball crash in which she was momentarily trapped in her smoke-filled Porsche car. Garcia, the first F1 Academy champion in 2023, was taken to hospital for precautionary checks after a high-speed crash while racing for the Iron Dames in Saturday's Le Mans Cup race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Garcia was leading the GT3 Class when her Porsche 911 was sent off track after being clipped from behind by Elesio Donno in the AF Corse Ferrari, smashing into a tyre barrier and rebounding back onto the circuit, with the vehicle then catching fire. The 24-year-old was then scarily stuck in her car before marshals broke through the passenger-side door to help her escape from the smoke-filled cockpit. 'Yesterday, I experienced one of the toughest moments in my career,' Garcia wrote on Instagram, alongside a picture of her in the hospital where she was taken for precautionary checks after inhaling some smoke. She was released from hospital on Tuesday morning. 'I had a very heavy crash at the Circuit de Barcelona, with an impact of 21 Gs. Another driver hit me from behind and I went straight into a tyre barrier next to the wall. 'The car caught fire, and although I managed to get out by myself, I inhaled some smoke and felt dizzy afterwards. 'I couldn't open my door because it was stuck from the impact, and I started panicking as more and more smoke was coming into the car… until the marshals broke the co-driver's door and got me out. 'I'm so thankful to them for reacting so quickly and for the job they did.' Donno, 20, took full blame for the incident and apologised with a statement on Instagram, saying: 'I would like to sincerely apologize to Marta Garcia and the Iron Dames team for the incident during the Michelin Le Mans Cup race at Montmelò. 'I take full responsibility for my actions on track. Sorry again.' Garcia's Iron Dames team also released a statement, expressing their 'gratitude' to the trackside marshals for their quick response. 'We are pleased to confirm that Marta Garcia is recovering well following her incident,' a statement read. 'After undergoing extensive medical examinations, she has been cleared of any major injuries and is already back to smiling. As a precaution, she stayed under observation overnight and will have a follow-up assessment. 'We extend our gratitude to the trackside and hospital medical teams, as well as to all the fans for their support. Marta's health and safety remain our top priority, and we look forward to seeing her back on track soon.' Garcia won the inaugural F1 Academy title – the all-female racing series – in 2023 and raced in the Formula Regional European Championship last year, though failed to score a point in 20 races.
