IRON DAMES ARE FIRST ALL-FEMALE WINNERS OF 24 HOURS OF SPA

The Motul-backed, all-female Iron Dames squad recently roared to class victory at the 24 Hours of Spa. And in the process, made history as the first-ever women-only team to achieve such a victory in the tough Gold Cup GT class. Sarah Bovy, Michelle Gatting, Rahel Frey and Doriane Pin took a commanding victory after racing through the field to gain 32 positions in the biggest GT race in the world, with 235 drivers and 66 cars. Finishing three laps ahead of their nearest rival, the Dames are now leading their championship class.

Iron Dames project founder, Deborah Mayer, said: “This is an historic moment for the Iron Dames. They have achieved yet another milestone for women in motorsport and this is something I am very happy about. This unprecedented victory shows the evolution and development of the project. We race to inspire and demonstrate further that hard work allows you to achieve your dreams.

“Dedication, professionalism, an amazing team and a lot of passion are the key ingredients to success. I would like to thank the drivers and the whole team for this extraordinary achievement."

Iron Lynx Team Principal, Andrea Piccini, added: “It is a very important day for women in motorsport. Everyone here at the team we are so proud of the Iron Dames and what they have achieved. Scoring their first victory as a team at 24 Hours of Spa, they made history and can now push on and progress even further.

“The girls drove very well without making mistakes and always had a great race pace. In particular, we were surprised by Doriane, who at her first experience in a 24h race managed the pressure well, even at night. The engineers and mechanics didn't miss a beat during the race and made all the right choices in terms of strategy and executing a series of exceptional pit stops.”

Starting 11th in class, the #83 machine of the Iron Dames carved through the field, taking the lead in the middle of the night, with 18-year-old Doriane helping build an impressive lead during the first-ever night stint of her racing career.

After managing to avoid the incident and drama throughout the race, the experience of Sarah, Michelle and Rahel, with the help of Doriane, managed to gain 32 places overall and win dominantly.

“We’re very happy to have Motul onboard. For us, it’s just amazing to have good brands on the cars and that’s what’s important.”

Rahel Frey added: “One little mistake or technical issue can cost a lot of time and potentially a very good result. We are really happy and appreciative that we can count on reliable long-term partnerships. Knowing each other definitely helps a lot.”

The GT World Challenge Endurance Cup continues at the 3 Hours of Hockenheim on 4th September 2022.