24h Le Mans
Since the first race in 1923, 64 women have taken the start, including 27 all-female crews. In honour of International Women's Day on 8 March, check out our slideshow dedicated to women drivers who have made their marks at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
On Saturday 21 June 1930, Marguerite Mareuse and Odette Siko made history becoming the first women to compete in the 24 Hours. Under the chequered flag, they finished seventh at the wheel of a Bugatti Type 40. Just five years later, 10 women drivers took the start – a record as yet unbroken! – and the offical MG Midget team entered three all-female driver line-ups (24th, 25th and 26th).
Le Mans native Anny-Charlotte Verney holds the female participation record at the race with 10 consecutive starts between 1974 and 1983. She took the wheel of legendary cars like the Porsche 935 K3 and Porsche Carrera RSR, and was involved in the adventure of Jean Rondeau, the only driver-constructor to secure an overall win at the 24 Hours. In 1981, she managed to finish the race in sixth place overall.
Women have fulfilled other roles than drivers at Le Mans, serving as engineers, stewards, reporters, photographers, translators and more. British driver Leena Gade is the first female engineer to win the race, with Audi. Three-time winner Benoît Treluyer: "Leena is an extraordinary woman, my teammates and I owe her a major part of our victories."
The race has enjoyed the presence of all-female driver line-ups in recent years. First, in 2019, the crew for Kessel Racing (renamed Iron Lynx in 2020 and 2021 then Iron Dames in 2022) drove a Ferrari fielded in LMGTE Am. Since then, the Iron Dames have continued to climb the ranks in the class. For example, last year the team won the 6 Hours of Portimão in the European Le Mans Series. In 2023, we'll see the ambitious female drivers again, at the wheel of a Porsche 911 RSR-19.
The Richard Mille Racing team opened a new chapter of inclusion by opting for a mixed crew in 2022. Young and talented driver Lilou Wadoux (age 21) shared the wheel of the #1 ORECA 07-Gibson in the LMP2 class with Charles Milesi and eight-time World Rally Champion Sébastien Ogier. At the end of the 2022 FIA WEC season, Wadoux became the first woman to drive a Hypercar when she tested the Toyota GR010 Hybrid during the championship's Rookie Test.
