Friday, 7 February 2020
Bianca Steiner
Tuesday, 29 May 2018
Laura Kraihamer
True entered the ADAC GT4 championship in 2020, with Laura and Reinhard Kofler as its driver pair. It was a season of highs and lows, with an outright win at Oschersleben the biggest highlight. Unreliability issues meant that Laura was unable to maintain her momentum, although she did manage a third at Zandvoort. She was tenth in the championship.
A different True team was ninth in the 24 Hours of Catalunya, but the X-Bow did not get to the end of the Nurburgring 24 Hours. Laura joined Carrie Schreiner in the Girls Only Volkswagen Golf for a round of the VLN mid-season and finished second in class.
Monday, 13 November 2017
Angelique Germann
She did not race in 2018. Towards the end of the year, she applied to take part in the all-female W Series in 2019, but had to drop out of the selection event with an injured foot.
Away from motorsport, she is a keen horsewoman.
Thursday, 10 August 2017
Osmunde Dolischka
Friday, 8 July 2016
Claudia Steffek
Sunday, 31 May 2015
Female Single-Seater Drivers Around the World: Austria
There are now enough Austrian single-seater drivers to warrant their own post. Most of the drivers here have been split off from Female Single-Seater Drivers Around the World: Germany, Austria & Switzerland. Claudia Steffek, Bianca Steiner and Osmunde Dolischka have their own profiles.
Jorden Dolischka - Austrian former karter who races a Formula Renault in Europe. She has been most active in the Drexler AFR Pokal. In 2021, she scored three class victories at the REd Bull Ring and Salzburg, finishing fifth in the championship. Later, she tested an F4 car in the USA for W Series, but was not selected. Her Formula Renault debut was in 2020, when she was third at Brno. In 2022 and 2023, she raced karts as a senior, before entering the TCR Eastern Europe championship in 2024. Her car was a Honda Civic. It was a challenging season, and her best finish was an eighth place at Salzburg. She was thirteenth in the championship. She is the daughter of 1990s single-seater racer Osmunde Dolischka.
Claudia Kreuzsaler - Austrian Formula Three driver in the 1990s. She entered the German, Austrian and French championships between 1991 and 1995, driving different cars for different teams. During this time, she did not manage a complete season with one team, perhaps due to sponsorship issues. Her best finish was third at Salzburg, in an Austrian race. She was less successful in Germany and France. Her highest overall position was twelfth, in the 1993 German series, although she had only driven in two races.
(Image from http://www.adac-motorsport.de/)
Sunday, 5 September 2010
Female Rally Drivers After 1950: Africa
Women have featured in African rallies since they first appeared in the 1950s. Below are some short profiles. This post only covers stage rallying; rally raids such as the Dakar have their own page.
Susan Muwonge's profile is located in the Rally Winners post. Viviane Evina has her own post.
Kenyan drivers have their own post, here.
Megan Heine - South African driver, active since at least 2013. She usually drives Volkswagen cars. Between 2013 and 2015, she was a regular on South African rallies, particularly the Volkswagen Rally, which seems to be her local event. She was 18th in the 2013 Ocean Basket Rally in a Volkswagen Golf. Apart from driving, Megan co-drives occasionally, and in 2015, she piloted the support helicopter for some rounds of the South African championship.
Melissa Heyman - rallies Volkswagens in her native South Africa. Her first season looks to have been 2013, when she used a Golf. She scored her first top ten, a ninth place in the Peotr Club Rally. She entered club and national rallies, including the Volkswagen Rally which she did not finish. In 2014, she entered this event again and was fifteenth. The following year, she improved her best finish to sixth in the Algoa Steel Rally. A break from competition ensued after 2015, but she returned in 2017. The Golf was exchanged for a Polo. She was tenth in the Valley Bash and Fountains Mail Rallies. She continued with the Polo in 2018 and had a best finish of eleventh in the Stu Davidson & Sons Rally.
Queen Kalimpinya - Rwandan driver and co-driver who became the first Rwandan woman to finish a national rally. She first attempted the Rwanda Mountain Gorilla Rally in 2022, driving a Subaru Impreza, but did not finish. In 2023, she drove a GC8 model Impreza and finished third overall in the Huye Rally. The driver she sat beside in 2022, Fabrice Nyiridandi Yoto, did not finish. Together, they were second in the 2022 Nyirangarama Sprint Rally. In 2024, she was third in the Huye Rally, in an Impreza.
Michelle Lourens - South African driver who competes as part of a family team. Her twin sister, Janine, is her current navigator, and the pair have swapped seats several times in the past. They began rallying together, in 2009, at 17, in rallysprints. They did the Northern regional championship in South Africa in 2010, and took turns driving. After a quiet year, without significant sponsorship, in 2011, Janine took the wheel in 2012, again, contesting their regional championship. In 2013, with Michelle driving, they moved up to the South African championship, driving a Toyota Conquest, mainly. Her best result was fifth, in the East Rand Rally, and she also won her class in the Ford Dealer Rally, finishing 25th overall. In 2014, Michelle continued to drive in the South African championship, in an S2000-spec Toyota Tazz. She was seventh in the Hallspeed Rally, in South Africa. In 2015, she filled in as both driver and co-driver, to Janine. She drove a Toyota Run-X in the South African championship, but did not finish any of her events. Back in the driving seat in 2017, she entered the Sam 100 Rally, and was thirteenth overall.
Rose Lwakataka - Ugandan driver who has been rallying on and off since around 2008. She is the wife of former Ugandan champion Ponsiano Lwakataka, and shares his car, a Subaru Impreza, on occasion. She was seventh in the Pearl Rally in Uganda in 2008. As well as stage rallies, she competes in rallysprint events in Africa, and is promoted as a great rival to Susan Muwonge.
Bianca Njeneza - Burundian driver who competes in her home rally championship. In 2018, she rallied a Peugeot 205 and a Toyota Curen. She retired from her first event, the Rally Ngozi, but was third in her second, the Burundi Rally. She was using the Toyota this time. In 2021 she entered the Rallye de l'Imbo in a Toyota Avensis, although it is not clear whether she finished. Bianca is Burundi’s first female rally driver, after being offered a car by a friend.
Magriet Potgieter - competes in South Africa in a Ford Fiesta. 2021 was her first season in a car, having supported her husband but never done any co-driving or other motorsport before. Her first event was the NTT Toyota Delmas Rally, which took place on and around her own farmland. She was eleventh on the first day and tenth on the second, from 17 entrants. She also finished the Rallystar National Rally in eleventh place. A second season in the Fiesta gave her a string of top-ten finishes, the best of these being sixth in the TRAC and Lake Umuzi National Rallies.In 2023, she rallied the Fiesta again and suffered a lot of retirements, but she was also fifth in the TRAC National Rally. 2024 was better from a finishing point of view; she finished three rallies, the best of these being a fourth place in the TRAC Rally.
Andrea Raaths - rallies a Volkswagen Golf in South Africa. She has been active in the Womza National championship and the African Regional Rally Organisation series since 2017. Her first top-ten finish was a ninth place in the 2018 Zane Rencken Tribute Rally, co-driven by Mauritz Britz. She picked up six top-tens in 2018, the best of these being a fifth in the Secunda Rally. At the end of the season, she was unofficially named as South Africa’s fastest female driver. After a year off, she returned to the Northern Regions championship, picking up a best finish of ninth in the Rallystar National Day 2 event. She rallied a Toyota Run-X in 2022 and competed extensively in the Northern Regions championship, but she suffered multiple car problems and only finished three events. A switch to an Auris gave her a thirteenth place in the 2023 Bronx National Rally.
Riane Rautenbach - rallies a Volkswagen Polo in South Africa. She competes in the Algoa Rally club series and is co-driven by Stephno Pieterse. Her best result so far has been twelfth place in the 2019 Baywest Regional Rally, third in class. She has also been second in class in the Stu Davidson & Sons Rally. The Polo came out again in 2020 and she was ninth in an ARC Rally Club sprint. Her two rallies in 2021 gave her a ninth and tenth place. A longer schedule followed in 2022, including a seventh place in the SCC Fountains Night Rally. Although she appears to have been involved in rallying for several years, she only began competing at the start of 2019.
Sonika Rautenbach - rallied a Toyota Yaris in Algoa Rally Club events in South Africa. Her best finish was an eleventh place in the Heinesport Night Rally. 2020 appears to have been her first season in a rally car, although she did do some oval racing in 2018 and 2019, in a Beginners’ class. She also took part in a women’s oval championship in 2018. In 2021 she rallied the Yaris again, earning a best finish of eleventh in the Fountains Mall Rally. This improved to a seventh place in the Triple L Pant Despatch Rally in 2022.
Luné Snyman - South African driver who rallies a Toyota Tazz in her home championship. In 2017, her best result has been an eighth place in the York Regional Rally. 2017 was only her second year of rallying, after buying her car in 2016 and entering one event in Heidleberg. She was ninth in the 2018 Natal Rally, driving the Tazz. She is co-driven by her father, Edward Strydom. In 2019, she entered Rally South Africa in a Subaru Impreza, but did not finish.
Lola Verlaque - South African driver who competes in the African championship, often with her sister Megan as her co-driver. In 2008, they were third in the Rally of Tanzania, driving a Subaru Impreza. They were eleventh in the same event in 2009, driving a VW Polo S2000 this time. They also competed in the revived Safari Rally in 2007 and 2009, but retired both times. Their cars were the Impreza and the Polo. In 2008, Lola drove a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 and was sixth in the African championship. Her best overall result was her Tanzanian third, although she was also fifth in Zambia. In 2007 they were third in the championship, with a best result of second in Zambia. After a break from competition, which included a couple of events where Megan did not navigate for her sister (in 2010), they returned to action in 2011, driving a VW Golf in the East African Safari Classic Rally. In 2015, she rallied both a VW Golf and a Toyota Corolla in the South African championship, with a best finish of ninth, in the Classic Rally South Africa. Her car was the Golf, and her co-driver was Edward Verlaque. The same pairing tackled the Top Fry Rift 1000 Classic Rally in 2016, in the Golf. They finished in 24th place. The Verlaque duo tackled four rallies in 2017, finishing two. Lola was eleventh in the Caledon Rally and 16th in the HMC Electrothread Rally. She entered the Classic Safari in 2018 in the Golf and was 29th overall, ten places below her sister. In 2019, she ran the Golf in the Cape Overberg Grand Prix but did not finish, then drove a Mk1 Ford Escort in the Top Fry Rally in Kenya. She was 17th, one place ahead of her sister this time. After a break, she netered the 2022 East African Mini Classic Rally in the Golf, finishing 23rd. She was 43rd in the same event in 2023, having finished under SuperRally rules. In 2024, she used a historic Datsun, entering the Jim Heather-Hayes Memorial Rally.
(Image from http://www.timeslive.co.za/)
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
Women in One-Make Series, Part III
The last list is of female drivers in one-make series across the rest of Europe, including the Mini Challenge. Italian drivers, Polish drivers, German drivers, Swiss drivers, Croatian drivers, Hungarian drivers and Swedish drivers can be found in their own posts. Michelle Gatting now has her own post, as do Alba Cano, Lilou Wadoux, Laia Sanz and Nathalie Maillet.
Ana Barreras - races small cars in Spain and took part in the 2021 G Series ice racing championship in Andorra. She has been competing on circuits since 2017, mainly in one-make series and mostly in the Toyota Aygo Cup. She had a best finish of fourth at Jarama in 2020 and also came fourth in the non-championship Christmas Trophy, driving alongside her mother, former rally co-driver Ana Barbero. The two are racing in the Spanish Mini Challenge together in 2021. Although both of her parents competed in off-road events, Ana’s first attempt off-road was the 2021 G Series, driving a Ford Focus for Sandoval Racing.
Louise Frost - Danish driver who has been racing in the DS3 Cup since 2016. In 2017, she scored her first win in the series, near the end of the season, at Jyllandsringen. Her second-best finish was fifth, achieved twice, at Jyllandsringen and Djursland. In 2016, she picked up a Rookie of the Year award. That year, she also raced a Ferrari 458 in the Danish Endurance Championship at Padborg Park. In 2018, she moved into the Danish Supertourisme series, driving a BMW. Her best result was sixth at Rudskogen and she was 14th in the championship. 2019 brought another new car: an Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR which she used in the Danish Endurance Championship and TCR Scandinavia. She was not able to start all of the TCR rounds but she scored three top-ten finishes at Knutstorp, Anderstorp and Karlskoga. She was 17th in the championship. In 2020 she drove a Kia Mitjet in the Danish Endurance Championship and was second in her class, sharing with Sander Steffensen. It was back to TCR for 2021, driving a Honda Civic. Her best finishes were sixth places at Bellahoj and Aarhus and she was 15th overall.
Carmen Kraav - Estonian driver who races touring cars in Europe. She began with some races in the 2022 Baltic Touring Car Championship, competing in the BMW 325 Cup. Sticking with BMW, she then signed up for the 2023 BMW M2 Cup in Germany. Her final championship position was 13th, with a best finish of ninth at Lausitz. Previously, she had competed in karting as a junior and a senior, finishing seventh in the senior Kart Sprint event at the 2022 Motorsport Games.
Raquel Morera Ibanez - has competed in the Renault Clio Cup in Spain since 2010. In 2010, she was eighth in the championship. The following year, she was only fifteenth, with a best finish of eighth at Catalunya, and two further tenth places. She also drove in eight rounds of the Renault Clio Eurocup around Europe, with a best finish of thirteenth, also at Catalunya. In 2012, she only seems to have managed two Clio Cup races, at Catalunya. She entered four Eurocup races in 2013, with a best finish of thirteenth again, at Catalunya.
Maiken Rasmussen - Danish driver who raced in the VW Scirocco R Cup in Germany in 2011. She was 17th overall, with two top-ten finishes: a ninth at Hockenheim and an eighth at Oschersleben. She also made a trip to India for a guest spot in the Polo R Cup, and was rewarded with a second place in Race Two. In 2010, she had her first season of long-circuit racing, driving in the Smart championship. In 2012, she returned to Smart cars, for the 4Two Cup held across northern Europe. She managed at least one fifth place.
Marta began racing historics in 2002, and drove an Alfa Romeo GTAm for some time. In 2004, she also won a Valencia regional speed eventing championship. She also competes in rallies, both of the stage and cross-country variety.
Amalia Vinyes - Andorran driver who competed in the 2010 SEAT Leon Supercopa, in Spain and Europe. She was thirteenth in the Spanish championship, and only completed two rounds of the European series. Previously, in 2009, she raced in the Catalunya round of the International GT Open Championship, in a Ferrari F430 GTS. She was driving with her brother, Joan, for their family team, Baporo Motorsport. At some point earlier than this, Amalia did some ice racing. For 2011, she switched to rallying, in a Suzuki Swift, and was 22nd in the Rallye de Ferrol and twelfth in the Rallye Villajoyosa. She competed in the SEAT Leon Supercopa in 2014, and finished in the top ten four times. Her best finish was fifth, at Monza, and she was 15th overall. She did half of the Supercopa in 2015, finishing four of her six races. Her best finish was eleventh, at Paul Ricard, and she was 27th overall. She raced in the Spanish Endurance championship in the SEAT in 2016, and was fifth in the TCR class, with one win. As well as this, she did a couple of rounds of the Eurocup. Sticking with SEAT and TCR, she did part-seasons in the Spanish, Portuguese and Iberico touring car championships. In 2018, she switched to off-road events, winning at least one in Spain. It was back to TCR in 2019, and she was one of the leading drivers in the Spanish series, finishing third in the TCR class with two wins. Her car was a SEAT Cupra. In 2021 she took part in the Spanish Endurance Championship, driving a Cupra. She won at least one race at Navarra. A part-season in TCR Spain in 2023 led to sixth at Estoril and eighth at Jerez, from pole. In a similar car, she did two races in the 2024 season, at Jarama, finishing eighth and tenth.
(Image from http://www.szon.hu/)