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Formula One, or F1, is an elite and intense motorsport that has been predominantly male-dominated since its inception in 1950. However, a few courageous women have broken through the gender barrier and left their mark on this prestigious racing competition. Join Tri Thức – Znews as we explore the stories of the first three female racers who dared to compete in F1.
Maria Teresa de Filippis
Maria Teresa de Filippis was the first woman to participate in the Grand Prix, the pinnacle of F1 racing. According to AutoSport, Maria began her racing career in the early 1950s. In 1954, she took part in the Italian Sports Car Championship and secured the runner-up position. This impressive feat led to her recruitment by the official Maserati team.
She made her F1 debut at the 1958 Belgian Grand Prix, finishing in 10th place and ultimately ranking 19th overall.
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Maria Teresa de Filippis. Image: Pirelli. |
Juan Manuel Fangio, a motorsport legend, praised Maria’s driving skills, stating that she drove “too dangerously and too quickly.”
Despite her talent, Maria’s F1 career was short-lived due to personal circumstances and the highly competitive nature of the sport. She retired in 1959, following the passing of Jean Behra, the team leader of the Porsche racing team, at the German Grand Prix.
In 1979, Maria returned to the racing scene and was appointed Vice President of the International Club of Former F1 Grand Prix Drivers.
Lella Lombardi
Lella Lombardi was the first and, to date, the only female driver to score points in an F1 Grand Prix. Lella’s journey into motorsport began with karting. She joined the March Engineering team and participated in the full South African Grand Prix, qualifying to race in an F1 Grand Prix.
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Lella Lombardi. Image: Motorsport. |
At the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix, she finished in sixth place, earning half a point in the standings. Aside from F1, Lella was also the first woman to compete in the Race of Champions in 1974 at Brands Hatch, where she placed 14th.
Post her F1 stint, she switched to sports car racing, winning the 6 Hours of Pergusa and the 6 Hours of Vallelunga. She also participated four times in the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans race and once in NASCAR.
In 1988, Lella retired from racing and founded her own racing team, Lombardi Autosport.
Divina Galica
Divina Galica did not start her career in racing. Initially, she was a skier and even captained the British women’s Olympic ski team, competing in four Winter Olympics. However, her love for speed drew her to go-karting, and she eventually progressed to F2 racing.
Her first attempt at F1 was at the 1976 British Grand Prix, but she failed to qualify for the race. She made three attempts to qualify for F1, including the 1976 British Grand Prix and the 1978 Grand Prix races in Argentina and Brazil, but was unsuccessful each time.
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