Lamborghini's THE IRON DAMES; AN ALL-FEMALE CREW
Women driven by dreams: the Iron Dames in their Lamborghini Huracán GT3 EVO2 number #83, hot pink to match their racing suits that set them apart in the paddock.
Deborah Mayer, entrepreneur, race driver, and president of the FIA's Women in Motorsport Commission (WIM), started Iron Dames in 2018 to support women in motorsport at all levels, from drivers to mechanics to engineers to managers. This team consists of four female drivers with razor sharp determination: “We’ve proven that we can win against everyone,” they say in unison. “We are strong and we are fighters. And slowly but surely, we’re changing the mentality of this sport.”
From the youngest, Doriane Pin (19), to the oldest, Rahel Frey (36), they share one vision: “We wear a pink suit, it’s true. But when we put our helmets on, we’re drivers who want to win. And nothing more.”
The Iron Dames project is run by Iron Lynx, the Italian racing stable chosen by Lamborghini Squadra Corse to enter the IMSA Endurance Cup 2023, and to compete in the FIA WEC in 2024 with its Lamborghini LMDh. Last November, the company announced a partnership in both GT3 and LMDh competitions: “Ever since we announced our intention to race in the LMDh category, it was clear to us that Iron Lynx was the right partner,” said Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini. “Over the years, Iron Lynx has proven to be a fast, strong and successful entity, just like Lamborghini’s motorsport division.”
“The Iron Dames project is made up of motivated women with a strong passion and motivation, pushing the racing world beyond limits and gender barriers,” said Deborah Mayer, Chairwoman of DC Racing Solutions and Project Founder of the Iron Dames. “We race to inspire women to follow their dreams and take the first step into motorsport, because we have proven that anything is truly possible.”
After making their debut at Daytona in January aboard the #83 Huracán GT3 EVO2, the Iron Dames will compete in the IMSA Endurance Cup at Sebring for the second round of the championship after Daytona.
The four team members, Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting, Sarah Bovy and Doriane Pin swap places in the cockpit of the car during the very long hours of endurance races. “We’re like sisters born to different mothers,” they say, emphasizing the close harmony of the team.
In Germany, Rahel Frey became the first woman to win a Formula 3 race. With 71 podiums, 19 victories, seven pole positions, and 22 fastest lap records, she's considered one of the best in the field. She describes herself as “a silent worker”, committed to using her 20 years of experience “to grow the role of women in motorsport.” Besides driving, she's also the Iron Dames' project manager, overseeing their growth and their mental and physical training. “In the racing world, I don’t like to think in terms of ‘man-woman’ dualism. We get in the car and we want to be the fastest, just like the others,” Frey contends.
Michelle Gatting, born in Denmark, has a wealth of achievements in both karts and single-seaters: 14 race wins, 61 podiums, and 8 pole positions already. The place she loves most is her homeland, where she hikes with her dog Lasso whenever she can. And she’s a “proud and stubborn” (her words) lightning bolt on the track. “Since my beginnings, things have changed. Now I walk in the paddock, greet my male opponents, and feel their respect. We’ve proven that we know how to win.”
Sarah Bovy was born in Belgium thirty-three years ago and loves food so much, she calls herself a "gourmand", and is inspired on the track by the greate race drivers. “When I was 13, I was already on a go-kart and I told my father on the way home, ‘someday I’m going to become a race driver.’” Hers is a visceral, all-encompassing passion for racing. “I love everything about this environment: the smell, the noise, the strategy. And most of all, I love the battle.” The 2013 Touring Car champ and first woman on the World Series podium is in her third season with the Iron Dames. “A downside of being a woman on the track? The fact that certain colleagues, when they’re in the process of overtaking, go hard on us with their maneuvers. I think for some, being beaten by a woman is still seen as a bruise to the ego.”
It's impressive to see Doriane Pin succeed in the GT3 Michelin Le Mans Cup: she's French, 19 or so, and she's been on the podium a few times. Six wins, 12 podiums, and four poles in 30 races. “I started when I was nine years old, thanks to my dad. In 2019, I was already a champion in France,” she says. In her spare time, she likes to play the piano, cycle, and play tennis. “The important values in my life? Believing in myself, always learning, and enjoying every moment.”
Four women. Four stories. One voice: “Men and women can compete face to face in the same competitions.”
You can read more of this article or watch a video here at Lamborghini’s website.
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