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In the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Iron Dames will once again be an all-female team. Rahel Frey from Switzerland is the team leader.
The pink Porsche is no coincidence. Team Iron Dames aims to stand out in endurance racing, including this weekend’s 24 Hours of Le Mans. “We specifically chose the color. We want to motivate women for motorsport, anyone can be an Iron Lady,” says Rahel Frey.
The Swiss is the most experienced racing driver in the world, has already driven in the DTM and was the first woman to win a race in the German Formula 3 Cup. Now the 37-year-old is leading the only all-female team at the anniversary edition in Le Mans.
The Iron Dames have finished in the top 10 several times in the legendary race. That should also be the goal this year, but the team is toying with the idea of a podium finish. “The race setup is good,” says Frey optimistically.
As always in racing, there is a risk involved. “All drivers know that and it is a conscious decision. We want to be fast. In the cockpit, as pilots, we walk the tightrope of always driving at the limit, but not over it,” says the Swiss.
It is our dream that a woman wins at Le Mans.
Motorsport is still predominantly a male domain, but there are now more and more women in the cockpit. The motorsport scene wants to actively promote women, establishes new racing series and reduces the barriers to entry.
Pierre Fillon, President of the spectacle in France, says: “There have already been many women as engineers, mechanics or in marketing. But we don’t have enough pilots yet. We’ll do what we can – because it’s our dream that a woman wins at Le Mans.”