Maria La Caze de Noronha

Maria La Caze de Noronha was a noble Portuguese-born driver who rallied in Europe in the 1930s. She married into a French family in 1913 and lived for quite some time in North Africa. She was usually named as "Dona La Caze de Noronha".

Her motoring career began in the women's rallies that started up in France at the end of the 1920s. Driving an American Oakland, she entered the first running of the Paris - St. Raphael Rally. Other cars she used included a Morris-Leon-Bollee, which she took to eleventh place in the Paris-Vichy Rally, also a women-only event. 

She is most associated with the Amilcar marque, and she started rallying one in 1930. In her first year, she secured a joint win in the Paris-Pyrenees-Paris Rally, a mixed event. Earlier in the year, the same car and driver combination tackled the Paris-Vichy Rally, another mixed one, although she could only manage 35th then. She was eighth in her class and ninth in the women's standings. Her other two big rallies were female-only, organised by the French Ladies' Automobile Club. She was fourth in the Paris-St.Raphael with a class win. 

The French "Eve" newspaper covered her 1931 adventures, in which she narrowly avoided crashing her BNC out of the Monte at the end of the concentration stage, near Nice. She had the 2000 miles plus solo, singing Portuguese fado music to keep herself awake. Unfortunately, she was over the time limit once she got going again. Other reports sya that she struggled on the braking and acceleration tests.

As well as rallies, she sometimes drove in wheel-to-wheel races. Driving a Ruby-engined MLC cyclecar, she finished the 1931 6H Routes Pavees, held at Pont-a-Marcq. She was 24th overall and fifth in class. Earlier in the year, she entered the Bol d'Or at Montlhery, driving the same or a similar car. She does not appear to have finished.

She drove an Amilcar in the 1932 Monte Carlo Rally and a Mathis in the 1934 event, although she may have retired very early in 1934. Her start points were Lisbon and Valencia respectively. 

Although she mainly competed in France, she also did some events in her home country. In 1932 and 1933, she took part in the Grand Prova de Resistencia, held at Foro near Estoril. The first time, she drove her Amilcar, but the second time, she was in an MLC, which was a similar car to both the Amilcar and the BNC. She was sixth overall in this car. 

After 1933, she appears to stop competing.

Away from rallying, she worked as a journalist, sometimes reporting from French-occupied North Africa. She was the Paris correspondent for a Portuguese magazine called "Illustracio". She was related to Formula 1 driver Robert La Caze through her husband.

She died in 1974, aged 85.

(Image copyright Biblioteque National de France)

Female Drivers in Saloons and Touring Cars: Spain, Andorra and Portugal

Catalina Bruguera and Oliver Campos

There are many women from the Iberian peninsula who have raced saloon cars in recent years, both in one-make and open championships. Below are some short profiles. Alba Cano  and Zihara Esteban have their own profiles. 

Ana Alvarez – raced in the Spanish SEAT Leon Supercopa, in 2006 and 2007 at least. In her first season, she did fifteen races, managing to score points once. She was 29^th in the championship. Her second season was only three races, and she was unable to challenge for honours. In between, in 2007, she raced the Leon in the Barcelona 24 Hours, and was tenth, as part of a four-driver team. She may well have entered the championship again in 2008, but the results are not forthcoming. She was certainly part of the Spanish endurance championship that year, and scored at least one third place.

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. 

Catalina Burguera - competes in the Copa Racer championship in Spain. She has been active in the series since at least 2023, when she entered the Mini Cooper class. In 2024, she and Paloma Escobar won the Mini class in the first round at Valencia. Catalina was sixth overall. In 2025, she moved up to the main GT class, driving a BMW M2 with Oliver Campos. They won two rounds at Estoril and Navarra outright. She is from a motorsport family and other Burgueras also compete in Copa Racer. 

Teresa Burguera - raced in the Copa Racer series in Spain between 2023 and 2024. Her best year was 2024, when she was seventh in her class championship, driving a Mini Cooper. The 2023 season was her first in cars, and she did four races. She is the sister of Catalina Burguera, who she raced against in 2024, sharing a car with her brother, Jaime. She does not appear to have raced in 2025.  

Paloma Escobar - raced in Copa Racer in 2024. She was third in the Touring class for Mini Coopers, sharing her car with Catalina Burguera for part of the season. They won one of the first races of the season at Valencia together. She drove solo at Estoril, finishing fourth in one race. In 2023, she shared her car with Joanna Gruau, and they were twelfth in the championship, with a best finish of sixth at Valencia. This was her third season in the championship, beginning with a short campaign in 2021.

Joanna Gruau - raced in the Copa Racer championship from its first season in 2021 to 2023, driving a Mini Cooper. Her best year was 2023, when she partnered Paloma Escobar, finishing twelfth in the championship. Her best race finish was sixth, achieved at Valencia. In 2024, she raced a Vortex with Philippe Gruau in the Spanish GT championship. Her best finish was fifteenth at Navarre.

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. 

Ana Sainero - races in the Copa Racer championship. She first competed in the series in 2024, driving a BMW M2 in the GT class with her brother, Antonio. They won the championship in their first year, with five outright wins. Their team withdrew early in the 2025 championship after a crash in the first race of the year, but reappeared later at Navarra, where they were second twice. Ana also joined the sister car of Juan Catelan for the second race of the season, finishing fourth. Previously, Ana raced in the Spanish Endurance Championship from 2019, proving herself capable of podium finishes.

Mari Santonja - races touring cars in the Spanish championship. She drove a Honda Civic Type R and was tenth in the 2019 championship. Her best finish was seventh at the Circuito Ricardo Tormo. This was her first season of racing, although she has been working as a motorsport mechanic for longer and has also competed in rallies as a navigator.

Lydia Sempere - competes in the Spanish Touring Car championship, a TCR series. Her car in 2021 was a Renault Megane and she did the whole season, apart from the final rounds at Barcelona which she missed, due to a DNF in the first race of the weekend. Her best result was a tenth place at Aragon and she often struggled for pace. In 2022 and 2023, she raced in the Clio Cup in Spain. Previously, she was active in karting as a junior and a senior. Lydia is profoundly deaf and races with visual aids in her car which help her understand the car’s performance and when she needs to change gear.

Marta Suria - Spanish racer who has recently been active in several one-make series. In 2008, she was eighth in the Spanish Renault Clio Cup. This was her fourth season in the Cup, and her best finish. She returned to the Clio Cup in 2011, although she was less successful, only managing 23rd overall after some DNFs. In between, she was second in the Spanish Mini Challenge in 2010, with one win and several podiums. In 2012, she raced in the Clio Cup again, and was thirteenth overall after car trouble limited her participation. She also drove in two rounds of the German MINI Trophy. In 2013, she only seems to have entered two Clio Cup rounds, at Motorland in Spain. After a long break, she did four Clio Cup rounds in 2018, scoring a best finish of seventh at Catalunya and Valencia. In 2019, she entered a couple of rounds of the Spanish TCR championship. 
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 autohebdosport.com)

Carla Costa

Carla and Barbara Costa

Carla Costa is a Portuguese driver from the Azores, Portuguese-administered islands in the Atlantic.

Her career began as far back as 1998 and her first car was a Renault 4, an unlikely rally car. Nevertheless, she used it between 1998 and 2002, before replacing it with a sportier Citroen AX.

It was in 2005 that she started competing regularly, using a 1200cc Renault Clio. Co-driven by Elisabete Nunes, she won her class in two events: the Rali FM Ilha Azul and the Alem Mar Ilha Lilas rally. 

The first part of her career ends here. She did not compete again for ten years, but made her return in 2015, entering the Azores Ladies' Trophy, a women-only rally series with its own events. Her car was a Citroen Saxo and her co-driver was her daughter, Barbara. They won the last event of the championship, the Especial Sprint da Riviera, outright, after third places in the two previous rounds. This was enough to secure her the ladies' championship title.

She competed in the Ladies’ Trophy again in 2016, and won the first two rounds, the Rali Regional Vila Nova and the Rali Praia da Vittoria. A retirement in the third round dropped her to third in the championship. Her car was a Renault Clio.

Her navigator since that year was still her daughter, and the pair continued to rally together for the first couple of events in 2017. With Rul Avila, Carla won two "Ladies & Veterans" rallies outright in the 2017 Azores championship. She was driving the Clio.

She was back in mixed competition in 2018, still in the Clio. She earned two top-twenty finishes in the Sical and Ilha Graciosa rallies.

In 2019, she was second in the Azores ladies' championship, first in the asphalt series, with a best finish of 22nd in the Acoreana Rali. This year, she had several different co-drivers, the most frequent being Lisandra Inacio.

After a year off during the first part of the worldwide coronavirus crisis, she returned to the stages for the 2021 PicoWines Rali, finishing 26th. This was followed up by another win in the 2022 Azores Ladies' championship and had a best finish of eighth in the Rali Ilha Graciosa, driving a Renault Clio.

She was very active again in the Clio in 2023, finishing thirteenth in the Azores championship and scoring another eighth spot in the Ilha Graciosa Rally.

Another Azores championship season proceeded in 2024, including a sixth place in Especial Sprint Motorshow. She ended the year Azores ladies' champion again and was 16th in the championship.

Her son Diogo and husband Joao have both competed as co-drivers and drivers. In 2024, Carla, Joao and Diogo all drove in the Rali Alem Mar - Ilha Lilas event. Joao was 20th, Carla was 30th and Diogo crashed out.

Nabila Tejpar

 

Nabila Tejpar is a British rally driver who mainly competes in Europe. She has won several women’s awards in the European Rally Championship.

She began rallying in 2015 in a 1600cc Proton Satria, after she had finished university. She did four single-stage rallies and had a best finish of 22nd, on the Wethersfield Stages. Even at this early stage, she looked beyond her home country and drove a DAF 55 in the Eifel Rally Festival, held near the Nurburgring. At this event, she drove alongside her father Aziz, who was in a Ford Escort. Both Nabila’s father and grandfather are or were rally drivers, with her grandfather Aziz Sr active in his adopted homeland of Kenya. The DAF was among the cars he used in the early ‘70s.

At the start of 2016, she took a big leap forward in her career and entered the British Rally Championship, competing in the Junior championship. Her car was a Ford Fiesta R2. Although it was not her best overall finish, the Circuit of Ireland was probably her best rally; she was fourth in the Junior rankings, and won a European Ladies award for her 43rd place finish. She was eighth in the British Junior championship at the end of the season. 

Driving the Fiesta, she was British Ladies' Champion in 2017, and fifth in the Cadet class. She entered her first Wales Rally GB and finished in 65th place. Her best overall finish was a 15th place in the Nicky Grist Stages. She carried on with her forays into Europe, entering the Ypres Rally and finishing 88th.

For 2018, her focus switched to the Iberian Peugeot Rally Cup, which offered prize money, although her best result of the year, a 15th place, came from the Ulster Rally. Her Iberian campaign included WRC rallies in Spain and Portugal. She was the leading female driver in the Catalunya Rally, finishing 41st from 53 in her 208. Her Portugal entry was only for the National event. Back at home, she was 43rd in the Wales Rally GB.

A pan-European campaign in the 208 followed in 2019, which left her second in the ERC ladies' standings. Again, she tackled the Iberian WRC rounds, earning a 31st place in Portugal this time. She was 40th in Catalunya but had to pull out of the GB event as her co-driver Richard Bliss was unwell. As well as Spain and Portugal, she travelled further east into Europe this year, entering the Polish and Barum Czech rallies.

Her 2020 programme was based in Portugal, where she used the Peugeot in three events, the best of which for Nabila was the Alto Tamega Rally, in which she was 31st. The season was curtailed by the coronavirus crisis. Later in the year, she also tried out a Proton Iriz R5 car at the Goodwood Speed Week. 

In June 2021, she made her ERC debut in the Iriz. Her first event was the Rally of Poland. The first three stages went well and she was running in 37th place, but she rolled the car and had to retire. Although she was not seriously injured, she had to pull out of the Rally Liepaja and Rome Rally to allow time for the car to be repaired and for her and her co-driver Matt Edwards to be fit.

Nabila first competed in the Proton as co-driver to her father in 2019, when he drove it as the course car for the Eifel Rally Festival.

(Image from essex-tv.co.uk)

Female Rally Drivers After 1950: Portugal

Joana Barbosa and Sofia Mouta in 2018

Carla Costa now has her own profile.

Ligia Albuquerque – Portuguese driver who started off in the navigator’s seat, in 1989. She co-drove mainly for Vasco Campos, before taking the wheel herself in 1998. For two seasons, she rallied in the SEAT Ibiza Cup in Portugal, with a best overall finish of 18th, in the 1998 Casinos do Algarve Rally. After that, she did some cross-country rallying and made occasional appearances as the course car driver in Portuguese rallies, before returning to stage-based competition in 2015. She took part in the Portuguese Ladies’ Trophy, both as a driver, and as a co-driver to Isabel Ramos. Driving a Citroen DS3, she was second in the Praia da Vitória Rallysprint. In both 2022 and 2023, she did one rally in Portugal in a historic Mini Cooper.

Joana Barbosa - Portuguese Ladies’ rally champion in 2017 and 2018. Both years, her main car was a Ford Fiesta R3T. 2017 was the more successful year overall for her, with four top-twenty finishes. She also entered one WRC rally, the Rally of Portugal, but retired before the third day. Previously, she drove a Fiat 500 Abarth, in which she managed three top-ten finishes in 2016. The best of these was ninth in the Rally Vila Nova de Cerveira, from 20 finishers. In 2019, she earned her first top-ten finish, an eighth place in the Vieira do Minho Rally. Shortly afterwards, she changed back to driving the Fiat and was not quite as fast. Her normal co-driver is Sofia Mouta.   

Margarida Barbosa – has competed on and off in Portuguese rallies since 2011. Her first car was a Citroen C2, and it was in this car that she was ninth in her first major rally, the CAM Rally Festival. In 2012, she used three small cars: the Citroen, a Ford Fiesta and a Renault Clio. Her best result came in the Citroen – fourth in the Rali Santo Thyrso. The Clio was also a good car for her, as she achieved three more top-ten finishes in it. Between 2012 and 2014, she did not rally much at all, although she did manage a twelfth place and class win in the Bombeiros Rallysprint in 2014, driving a Citroen DS3. At some point, she did some sportscar racing. In 2015, she contested the Citroen DS3 Challenge. She was third in the championship, with one class win, in the Viana do Castelo Rally. Her best overall finish was thirteenth, in the Sernancelhe Aguar da Beira Rally.

Vera Cardoso - Portuguese driver who usually rallies a Fiat Uno. She has used this car in events in her home championship since 2016. Her best result in it so far has been a 21st place in the 2017 Pedras Salgadas Regional Rally, although she did manage a class X1-8 podium in the 2016 Uniao Rally. She rallies on asphalt exclusively, like many other Spanish and Portuguese drivers. Her most frequent co-driver is Ana Rita Faria, although Helena Maia sat with her more in 2019. The Fiat was swapped for a Citroen Saxo in 2021. Her best finish in it was a twelfth place in the Rally de Resende - Douro Verde. She came out again for a couple of rallies in the Saxo in 2023, and more in 2024, plus the Aves Especial Sprint in 2025.

Mariana Carvalho – competed extensively in Portugal between 2009 and 2013, before reappearing in the Portuguese Ladies’ Trophy in 2015. Her first rally car was a Suzuki Ignis, and she was third in the Portuguese Junior championship in 2009. Her best overall was a fifth place, in the Rali Vila Nova de Famalicão. After that, she switched to a Peugeot 206, a car she still uses today. In 2010, she scored her first top –twenty finish, a 17th place in the Rali Cidade de Gondomar, and by 2013, she was a regular top-twenty driver, with a best finish of fifteenth, in the Rali Cidade de Guimarães. After a break, she returned to the stages in 2015. She won the Ladies’ Trophy in the Rali Vidreiro, in which she was tenth overall, and was second in that year's Ladies' championship. She was also twelfth in the Rallye Serras de Fafe. In 2016, back in mixed competition, she was 49th in the Rali BVF de Vila Nova de Famalicao, in a Citroen C2. She did some more rallies in the C2 in 2017, picking up a 20th place in the Castelo Branco Rally. Her only event in 2018 was the Famalicao Rally, driving the C2. She was 38th.

(Ana) Sofia Correia - Portuguese driver who appears to have started rallying in 2008, after some years of karting. Her first car was a Skoda Fabia. In 2009, this was upgraded to a Peugeot 206 GTI, and in 2010, she continued to use this car. Her activities are centred around the Madeira Rally Championship, including the Rali Vinho de Madeira, a round of the Intercontinental Rally Challenge. As a Madeira resident, this is her home rally. Her co-driver was Susana Sousa. She did not compete in 2011, but returned in 2012, driving a Citroen C2. She rallied in the Madeira championship, and finished in the top ten in five out of her seven events. In 2013, she was in the top ten for four of her five Madeiran rallies, with a best finish of sixth in the Rali Municipio do Funchal. She was sixth in the Madeira championship. In 2016, she rallied a Renault Clio, and was tenth overall in the Circuito Municipio de Calheta.

Carolina Costa - competed in the Madeira Rally Championship in 2009, assisted by navigator Rubina Goncalves. Their car was a Group N Renault Clio. During this year, she took part in the Vinho Rali Madeira, a round of the IRC, but retired with mechanical problems. She does not appear to have competed in 2010 or 2011, but was back on the stages in 2012, driving a VW Golf. She appears to have entered the Funchal Rally, but the result cannot be found.

Joana Fernandes - began rallying in 2006, in the Toyota Yaris Cup of Portugal. She soon became one of the leading lady drivers, and continued to a Coupe des Dames in 2007, navigated by Sofia Pereira. In 2008, she switched to a Citroen Saxo, which she has used ever since. Her rally activities are mainly centred around her home island of Madeira, and she has taken part in the Rali Vinho Madeira on four occasions, and had a best finish of 37th in 2007.

Marlene Ferreira – Portuguese driver based in the Azores. In 2015, she began rallying in the Azores Ladies’ Championship, in a Renault Clio. This was exchanged for a Megane after her first rally, the all-female Praia da Vitória Rallysprint. Her best finish was third, in the women-only Especial Sprint da Riviera. She did one rally in the main Azores championship: the Rally Além Mar, in which she was 21st. In 2016, she entered the Azores Ladies’ series again, still driving the Megane. She won the championship, taking two wins in the Riviera and Motorshow rounds.  She entered the Azores Ladies' championship again in 2017, scoring several second places in the Megane.

Carla Guimarães - Portuguese driver, active in the early 1990s. She drove a Citroen AX in Portuguese rallies in 1991. Although she had some non-finishes due to accidents, her highlight of the year was an eighth place in the Rali Sintrense. She changed the Citroen for a Nissan Sunny GTI-R in 1992, but did not finish either of her major events, due to mechanical trouble. She does not appear to have continued in rallying after 1992.

Marta Neves – Portuguese driver currently competing in the Portuguese Ladies’ Rally Trophy. She began rallying in 2009, in a Citroen Saxo, and had a best result of ninth in her first season, in the Cidade de Gondomar Rally. In 2008 and 2009, she used a Peugeot 206, and managed another top-twenty finish, 19th in the 2009 Gondomar event. This earned her some points in the Portugal Open championship. After a break, she returned to rallying in 2013, driving a Peugeot 205 and 306 at the CAM Rally Masters Festival, before re-entering the championship, usually driving the 306. Her best result was 23d, in the Guimarães Rallysprint, where she won her class. She also won her class in the União Rallysprint. This was enough for a class runner-up spot at the end of the season. In 2015, she achieved one fifth place in the all-female Praia da Vitória Rallysprint, and a class win, with a 17th place overall, in the Cidade de Guimarães Rally. Her car is a Citroen Saxo. She was fifth in the Ladies' championship. In 2016, still in the Saxo, she switched to mixed competition, and had a best finish of 16th, in the Rali Nova de Cerveira. Her only 2017 event was the Penafiel Racing Fest, in which she was 22nd overall in the Saxo. She entered the Gondomar Rally in 2018 but did not finish.

Diana Pereira – took part in the Peugeot 206 Cup (Formula Peugeot), as part of the 2006 Portuguese Rally Championship. Her best overall result was 29th, in the Rally of Portugal. Her position within the Peugeot Cup was fourth, another season’s best. She ended the year just out of the top ten. After that, she has not rallied competitively, although she has driven the course car on a couple of occasions, once in a Mitsubishi Lancer. Her navigator was Inês Ponte. Diana is also known as a model.

Isabel Ramos - another Madeira-based driver. As well as the Madeira championship, she has also entered events on the mainland. She has been competing since at least 2002, when she drove a Toyota Yaris in the Rali Vinho Madeira. Much later, in 2007, she reappears with a Citroen C2. The C2 was retained the following year, and used in a number of events, including the Rali Vinho Madeira, until the 2009 Rali da Calheta, when it was changed for a Renault Clio R3. This has been her regular car since then, into 2011. Her best result is 12th, in the 2010 Rali da Calheta. In 2012, she contested the Madeira championship, and was seventh or eighth in all of her events, apart from the Rali Vinho de Madeira, from which she retired. In 2014, she drove the Clio R3 in rallies in Madeira, including Rali Vinho da Madeira, a European championship round. She was twelfth. Her best outright result was fifth, in the Porto Santo Line Rally, and she achieved five more top-ten finishes, many of them class wins. She was the winner of the Portuguese Ladies' Trophy in 2015, after two class wins, and a victory in the all-female Praia da Vitória Rallysprint. In addition to this, she continued to perform strongly in the Madeira championship, winning the Ladies' and RC3 class titles in her Renault Clio. Her best overall finish was seventh, in the ZOOM-TRAP Rally. She defended her championships in 2016, and was eleventh in the Madeira championship, with four top-ten finishes. In 2017, she won another Ladies' title, and was fourteenth in the Madeira championship. She managed two tenth places, in the Maritimo Machico and Municipio de Santa Cruz rallies. In 2018, she was second in class in the Madeira championship with a best finish of eleventh in the Municipio de Sao Vicente Rally.

Celeste Roda - Portuguese driver who competed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her signature car was a Datsun 100A. Her best result was a 17th place in the 1980 Volta a Madeira, then a round of the European championship. She competed in the Madeira Rally at least five times during her career and also rallied in the Azores, taking part in at least two editions of the Sao Miguel Rally.

Daniela Rodrigues – Portuguese driver who has been rallying since at least 2009. Her first rally car was a SEAT Marbella. Between 2009 and 2011, she was part of the Portuguese Junior championship, finishing ninth in 2011. Her best result was eleventh, in the Santo Thyrso ConVida Rally. In 2012, she was eighth in the same event, driving a Citroen Saxo this time. In the same car, she was fifth in the CAM Rally Festival. Since then, she has continued to rally the Saxo. In 2013, she re-entered the Junior championship, and was fourth, after a thirteenth place in the Cidade de Guimarães. In 2014, she rallied mainly in the Azores, and in 2015, competed in the Portuguese Ladies Rally Trophy. Her best finish was third, in the all-female Praia di Vitória Rallysprint. She was also 16th in the Castelo Branco Rally, and won her class.  She won her region's Ladies' title in 2018, driving the Saxo, earning an eleventh place in the Amarante Baiao Rally. After a break, she brought the Saxo back out again in 2022.

Filipa Sanguedo – Portuguese driver active since 2011. Initially, she mainly entered rallysprints, first in a Ford Escort, then in a Peugeot 306. In 2013, she scored her first top-ten finish, a sixth place in the Mesão Frio Rallysprint, driving the 306. In 2014, she drove an Opel Adam Cup car in Portugal, and achieved three more top-ten finishes, including a ninth in the Rallye Aguiar De Beira Sernancelhe. She was also tenth twice, and won her class, in the Castelo Branco and Mortágua Rallies. This earned her fourth in the Centre Regional championship. In 2015, she rallied both the Adam and the 306, using the 306 in the Portuguese Ladies’ Trophy. She was fourth in the first round, the Praia da Vitória Rallysprint, competing against her usual navigator, Sofia Mouta, and sixth overall in the Trophy. The Adam was her preferred car for other Portuguese rallies. The best of these, for her, was the Águeda Rally, in which she was 18th overall. The Adam was somewhat unreliable in 2016, but it did help her to a seventh place in the Arganil Rally. She used it again in 2017, and was fourth in the Templarios Rally Classic. In 2018, she finished one of her three rallies in the Adam, coming 18th in the Vidreiro Rally. She finished both of her events in 2019, with a best finish of 19th in the Castelo Branco Rally.

Diana Soares - experienced co-driver from Portugal who has recently switched seats to drive herself. As a navigator, she competed often with Manuel Texeira in the Portuguese championship. In 2018, she started rallying her own Nissan Micra. Due to the car’s size and low power, it is not capable of challenging for wins, but she scored a pleasing fourth in class in the Vila Medieval de Ourem Rally. Her overall classification was 46th. She rallied the Micra again in 2019, entering three rallies. During 2020's limited season, she got out once, finishing 15th in the Rallye Serras de Fafe e Felgueiras in the Micra. In 2022, she rallied a Peugeot 206 and was twelfth in the Extra section of the Rali Montelongo Carlos Vieira.

Paula Veloso Amaral - Portuguese driver in the 1980s and 1990s. She entered five Portuguese championships, and contested her home World Championship round three times. The first time, in 1988, she was 31st, ninth in Group N, driving a Renault 11 Turbo. She returned in 1993 in a Lancia Delta Integrale 16V and was 26th, again ninth in class. In 1998 she did not finish in her Skoda Favorit. Her co-drivers were Cabral Serrano and Ariana Silva. She now works as a journalist.

(Image from http://www.direita3.pt/2018/joana-barbosa-com-jornada-aziaga-em-fafe/)

Female Drivers in National Sportscar Racing, After 1950

Francesca Pardini

This post profiles female drivers in national-level sportscar racing, from club level to domestic GT championships. It includes Caterham racing. Belgian sportscar drivers are likely to be found in the Belcar post. Due to the high number of female drivers in French domestic series, they have their own post, here. British drivers in this category can now be found here, and drivers from the Nordic countries, here. Sybil Lupp, and other contemporary New Zealand drivers, can be found here. Renee Gracie now has her own post, as do Angelique Detavernier, Ivana Giustri Laura Kraihamer, Luisa Rezzonico, Lisa Caceres, Lisa Clark, Solenn Amrouche and Chantal Kroll.

Antonella Bassani - former karter who won her first senior race in 2023. She joined the Porsche Sprint Challenge Brasil and won her first race at Goiania, following a pole position and second place at Velo Citta earlier in the season. At the end of the year, she had won her class and finished third overall in the championship. In 2024, she returned to Porsches in the Carrera Cup, winning four races and coming within a whisker of winning the championship. A second Carrera Cup season in 2025 was cut short to five races, and was not the triumph that 2024 had been. Her best finish was a fourth place at Velo Citta. Later in the season, she tried out Stock Car in Brazil, driving a Toyota. Her four races were a learning experience and her best finish was 18th, achieved twice at Interlagos and Velo Citta. Aged 17, 2023 was her first full season, although she did some races in the Brazilian Turismo championship in 2022, driving a Chevrolet run by Abreu Motors. She won her class twice. She also tried an Audi RS3 in a guest appearance in the 2022 TCR South America championship. Before switching to cars, she raced karts internationally and was a finalist in the FIA Girls on Track competition.

Piera Bertoletti – raced a series of Alfa Romeos in Europe, between 1957 and 1961. Her first major competition car seems to have been a Giulietta, a version of which she used in the 1957 Targa Florio. She finished the event in 117^th place. She normally used Giulietta models, including a Sprint Zagato, but occasionall raced a Zagato-bodied Abarth 500. In this car, she was fifth in the GT500 Coppa Sant Ambroeus in 1959. She was particularly recognised for her efforts in airport-based races at Innsbruck and Klagenfurt. At Innsbruck, she qualified on pole for the 1960 Preis von Tirol, but did not finish.

Eileen Bildman - races a Ferrari in the US Ferrari Challenge. She first competed in the series in 2018, when she was thirteenth in the 458 Challenge, picking up three top-ten finishes at the end of the season. She moved up to the Coppa Shell in 2019 and was fourteenth. Her best finishes were two seventh places at Indianapolis and Mugello, as well as a ninth spot at Mugello. She returned to the Coppa Shell for the 2020 season, supported by Ferrari of Long Island as before. The partnership continued in 2020 and Eileen was 18th in the championship, having missed three of the later races. Her best finish was an eighth place at Indianapolis, which was also one of her best circuits in 2021; she was seventh there, and at Watkins Glen. She was 18th in the championship. She was seventh in the Coppa Shell in 2022, with a best finish of sixth at Daytona.

Nadeene Brengle – raced Alfa Romeos in SCCA competitions in the 1960s. She was given a car, a Giulia, by Alfa Romeo USA to race in 1964. To start with, she took part in Ladies’ races in Florida in a Cooper, in 1961, before moving on to a Fiat-Abarth Zagato , then the first of a series of Alfas in 1963. In 1967, she made history by becoming the first female driver to start from pole in an SCCA National Runoff. She fought her way back from last after a first lap incident with another car, and finished second.

Balba Camino (Gonzalez Camino) - successful Spanish GT racer in her domestic series, winning in 2000 with Miguel Angel de Castro. Their car was a The duo also won the GTA class in 2003, finishing first or second in every race they entered. Their car was a SEAT Toledo GT. Despite a couple of wins in a Lister Storm in 2002, they could not manage an overall win. In Spain, Balba has raced single-seaters, touring cars and historics. Internationally, she raced in Formula Nissan 2000 in 1999. Later, she did one race for Chamberlain in the LMES in 2005, the Silverstone round. Her team-mate was Amanda Stretton, and they could not finish in their Lola. Balba now works as an artist, but she came out of retirement in 2014. She was the winner of the Prototype race at the Maxi Endurance 32h, held at the Algarve circuit. She was part of a team of six. She was also third in the Sport race, in a SEAT Leon.

Toni Cappiello - raced with the SCCA in the late 1950s. She drove a Porsche 356 in 1958, normally at Cumberland or Marlboro. In 1959, she teamed up with Pinkie Windridge in a Fiat-Abarth Allemano for the Marlboro 6 Hour race. They do not appear to have finished. Toni may also have raced alongside her husband, who is credited as "Major Cappiello". She disappears from the entry lists after 1960.

Olga Carless – raced an Alfa Romeo Giulietta in the 1958 Venezuela Grand Prix. She was 29^th overall, third in class. Her entry was noted as “Señora Olga”. That year, Olga also competed in a race at Maracay el Limon, in Venezuela, and was fourth, out of seven drivers. She was married to another racer, Giorgio Carless, and may well have entered other races.

Stephanie Cemo - raced in the 2019 UA Lamborghini Super Trofeo. She competed in the LB Cup and has a best finish of second at Watkins Glen, sharing the car with Ashton Harrison. She has been active in motorsport for approximately ten years, although she got her license longer ago than that and has worked as an instructor. Her usual cars have been Chevrolet Corvettes, mainly used with considerable success in Time Attack events, although she has also competed in SCCA and NASA championships, winning several races.

Bobbie Ann Cooper - racer and racing instructor in the mid-1970s. In 1976, she took part in a Toyota Celebrity Match Race supporting the US Grand Prix West and finished second, behind journalist Don Sherman and ahead of Janet Guthrie. Reports at the time stated that she held a G Production lap record at Riverside and that she had had to take a year out of racing in 1975 due to lacking her own car and crew. Later that year, she took part in a Celebrity Race for Charity, driving a Toyota Celica with streamers on its aerial to mark her out as one of three female drivers.

LaVone Daily - Kansas resident who raced sportscars in the 1960s. Her usual car was a Triumph TR3. In 1964, she seems to have had her best finish: fourth in an SCCA National race at Lake Garnett. In 1965, she qualified for the SCCA Road Racing Championship in the TR3, but the results are not forthcoming. Away from the track, she worked as a lawyer and served as a judge. She died in 2017.

Anny Frosio - Swiss driver who competed in the European GT Cup in 2025, at the wheel of a Lamborghini. She first raced in the series in 2024, in a Ferrari 488, and finished thirteenth in the Pro-Am class with Jorge Cabezas. She also won the ladies' award. Driving for a new team in the Lamborghini in 2025, she did the last two rounds at Catalunya and Monza. Before taking to the circuits, she was active in hillclimbing for at least 15 years prior.

Jocelyne Gaborit - raced in the inaugural season of the Coupe de l’Avenir in France in 1976. This was a budget series for sportscars based on the Simca 1300. Jocelyne raced alongside her husband, Yves. Both were involved in the creation of the series and its management. Jocelyne only appears to have competed in the first season, although she stayed involved in an organisational capacity. 

Elisa Giordan - Italian driver who has competed in Italy and Spain. She drove in the Italian Prototype Cup at some point, before coming ninth in the 2004 Italian Superstars touring car series. The following year, she won the Italian Mazda RX-8 Cup. She moved to Spain in 2007 and drove a Ferrari F430 GT2 car in the Spanish GT championship. Driving with Lorenzo Bontempelli and Giorgio Mondini, she was fifth, after two wins at Jerez and Albacete. After that, she does seem to have raced in Italy, although details of her activities are not forthcoming. They may have involved hillclimbing: she competed in climbs in an Osella in 2002 and 2003.

Marybeth Harrison - Canadian who raced sportscars and saloons from the 1990s onwards. She is most famous for her runs in the Trans Am championship in 2000, driving a Chevrolet Camaro. Her best finish from four races was thirteenth at Laguna Seca. She made a few more appearances in 2002 and 2003. Prior to this, she competed in Formula 1600 in Canada and won some trophies, as well as trying Formula 2000. In common with many female racers of the 1990s, she was a member of the PPG CART Pace Car team. 

Anneliese Hartenau – Chilean-born driver who was the winner of the first Sport Limited Speed race in Buenos Aires in 1960, driving a Porsche-engined Gordini. The series was for older Grand Prix cars. She had begun racing another Porsche not long before, in 1959, in her adopted homeland of Argentina. Later, she raced an NSU Prinz in Argentina, with some success. Her motorsport activities included the marathon rallies held in the Andes. As well as driving herself, she worked as a race mechanic, and was part of Juan Manuel Fangio’s crew for quite some time.

Alexandra Irmgartz - has been racing a Porsche in Germany since 2010. She won the Junior title in her first year in the Special Touring Car Trophy (STT), and defended it in 2011, as well as finishing fourth overall in the series. Again, she defended her Junior title, and her fourth place, in 2012. In 2013, she only had a part-season in the STT, although she still managed to win the Junior class again. She was now racing her 964 in the Porsche Club Historic Challenge, and was on the pace very quickly. She scored two podiums in her first season. In 2014, she won the championship outright, finishing on the podium in eleven out of the fifteen races. A part-season in the PCHC in 2015 brought more success in the 964, with seven wins and one second place, from nine races. Her PCHC was not quite as stellar in 2016, but she still managed one win, at Hockenheim, and eight further podium finishes. 

Nina Jerančič – Slovenian driver who had a long and successful time in karting, before going to Italy to start her senior racing career, after a spell in Austria in 1993, in Formula Ford, when she was 16. She began in Formula Campus, as well as other junior single-seater formulae, and also did some guest appearances in one-make cups, as well as one round of the Porsche Supercup, at Zeltweg, in 1999. After more years in karting, she started racing Ferraris in 2004, in the Shell Cup. She started off quite cautiously, but by 2007, was good enough to finish second in the championship, in an F430. She returned to the championship in 2008, and was seventh overall. She does not appear to have competed since then.  

Shirley van Kleeck - raced an Austin Healey Sprite in SCCA H-Production events in the 1960s. She raced alongside Arlene Lanzieri, who later found fame as Arlene Hiss, before Arlene moved away to marry. They had a pair of Sprites which they raced as “The Female Racing Team”. The team was active throughout 1966 and Shirley was competitive in her regional class, despite rolling her car at Lime Rock. It was her first season in racing.

Jeff (Lois) Koehne - raced in SCCA events in the US in the 1950s and early 1960s. She drove a number of cars over the years, including an Allard, Jaguar, Siata and a Chevrolet Corvette. She won her first race in the Jaguar in 1955, a ladies’ race at Walterboro. Later in the 1960s, she occasionally raced an Alfa Romeo Giulietta and even tried out a Formula Vee single-seater in 1963, at the Jim Bowie Sportscar Races in Louisiana. Jeff’s name was actually Lois; it is unclear where her nickname came from. She was from Texas and married to George, another racer.

Therese Lahlouh - races Porsches in the USA. She ran well in the Porsche Sprint Challenge North America in 2023 and 2024, finishing fifth in the Pro-Am class in 2024 after a sixth place the year before. She also came eighth in the 2024 Porsche Endurance Cup, with one podium finish. For 2025, she got her first taste of GT3 machinery, competing in the GT World Challenge America. She has been an official Porsche-supported Female Driver since 2025, despite not having begun her career until she was in her 30s.

Christina Lam - races a BMW E46 M3 in NASA and SCCA Majors events in the USA. She has been active in circuit racing since 2016 and this is her second BMW. In 2019, she secured podium finishes in at least three SCCA Majors races, at Pittsburgh and Mid-Ohio. She recorded more top tens in the SCCA National Runoffs and on the Hoosier Tour in 2020 and 2021. In 2025, she stepped up to the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge, racing a TCR-spec Audi RS3. She was inspired to start competing by a visit to the Nurburgring in 2012, and started gaining experience of the circuits through autocross, track days and the NASA Time Trial series.

Donna Sue Landon - raced in the SCCA Escort Endurance Championship in 1986 and 1987. Her first car was a Honda CRX, which she shared as part of a mixed team, enjoying some Class B success. In 1987, she was one of an all-female roster driving a Saleen Mustang, with Lisa Caceres and Desire Wilson. Donna Sue subbed for Desire in some of the lower-profile events. Earlier in her career, she raced in the Showroom Stock category from at least 1983, in cars including the Honda CRX.

Carina Lima - raced in the Portuguese GT championship in 2012. Her car was a Ferrari F430, run by Oasis Motosport, and she competed in the GT Cup class. Out of her six races, her best result came at Jarama, the last round, where she was eighth. With her team-mate, Luis Reis, she was thirteenth in the championship, and third in the GT Cup class. Although she intended to return to the series in 2013, she does not seem to have raced again. In 2014, she raced in the Lamborghini Trofeo, finishing tenth in the Amateur class. She entered the Trofeo again in 2015, and won the Gallardo Am class three times, at Monza and Paul Ricard. She and Andrea Palma won their class outright. She raced a Lamborghini Huracan in the Italian GT Championship in 2016, with Andrea Palma. Her best finish was ninth, at Mugello. 

Valerie Limoges - raced in the Koni Grand-Am Challenge, in the States, in 2007. She debuted in the series in 2006, having driven karts, Formula Renault and touring cars, coming fourth in the Hankook Touring Car Series in 2004. Her Grand-Am car was a Ford Mustang prepared by Black Forest. During the season, she had many mechanical problems to deal with, although she proved herself capable of running in the top ten. After 2007, her sponsorship was withdrawn and she has been unable to race, although she did make one guest appearance in Canadian Touring Cars in 2012. In 2015 and 2016, she raced in the Canadian Nissan Micra Cup, finishing fifth overall both times.She was fourth in the 2017 Micra Cup, with several third places, despite being disqualified once and put on probation. In 2018, she was fourth in the championship after becoming the first female driver to win a race in the series, at Mosport Park. She won two races in 2019 and was third in the championship. In 2021, she was sixth in the Nissan Sentra Cup in Canada. She won the 2022 Sentra Cup, despite not winning any races outright. She was second at Mont Tremblant.

Carmen Lista – raced in IMSA in the 1980s, after competing in the late 1970s in US sportscar events. She always drove Chevrolet cars, and her first big races were at Daytona, in 1976. She drove a Corvette in the Daytona 250 Miles, and was 39^th, with “Bean”. The following year, in the same race, she was 62^nd, driving solo. A final appearance in the 250 Mile race in 1978 led to a 19^th place, again as a single driver, in Debra Tribiano’s Corvette. In 1983, she reappears in the entry lists, driving a Camaro in IMSA races. She was 47^th in that year’s Sebring 12 Hours, with Bobby Diehl, David Marks and Roy Newsome, with Diehl’s team.  

Rhea Loucas - Cypriot driver who races sportscars, mainly in Europe. She did some rounds of the GT Cup in the UK in 2022, driving a Porsche Cayman for the Valluga team with Charlie Hollings. She has also competed in the 24H Series, winning her class in the 2023 Dubai 24H for Dragon Racing/ROFGO. Her car this time was a Mercedes-AMG GT4. In 2022, she drove the Porsche in the Hockenheim 12H. Away from the track, she is an entrepreneur in the video game industry. 

Mia Lovell - made her Trans Am debut in 2025, driving a Nitro Motorsports Ford Mustang in the TA2 class. Between her first and second races, she improved her result from 33rd to 13th. Over five races, she managed to finish as high as eighth, at Sonoma. Before that, she raced in the Toyota GR Cup North America, beginning in 2023. In her second season, 2024, she was twelfth in the championship, with a best finish of sixth at Sonoma. She recorded several top-ten finishes for the Colin Crabbe team. Away from motorsport, she is also a professional skateboarder.

Joke Maasland - Dutch driver who raced in Europe from the age of eighteen. She raced a Ferrari 250 Monza at Zandvoort in 1954, finishing one International Sportscar heat second in class before crashing out of the second. She was competing alongside her brother Hans. Earlier, she had raced a BMW 328 Cotura with her father. She also used this car in rallies and shared it with Carel Godin de Beaufort on the 1952 Fakkel Rally which ran between Eindhoven and Bayeux.

Brieana Macdonald - Canadian driver who began her on-track career in 2025, racing in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Iberica. She made her debut in September at Navarra, despite never having raced anything on track before and only having tested the car briefly. She was eleventh and eighth in her two sprint races, but did not finish the enduro, which she drove solo.

Vittoria Maffi – raced in Italy in the late 1950s and early 1960s. She is most associated with Alfa Romeo, having competed in the 1959 Coppa Ambroeus in an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Veloce. She was ninth in the race. The following year, she shared a Fiat 500 with Alma Cacciandra, and was 31^st in the Coppa Ascari. She had owned the Alfa since 1956, so may have done some earlier races, possibly in the women-only circuit that existed in Italy at the time. 

Tania Mann – Australian driver who races in the UK. She began competing in 2011, in the Lotus Cup, after doing track days in her own Porsche. 2012 was her first full season, and she drove in the Porsche Carrera Cup. Her best overall finish was twelfth, at Donington, but she was one of the leaders of the Pro-Am class, and was second, with four wins. After a year spent putting together sponsorship, she took part in some rounds of the British GT Championship in 2014, in a Ginetta G55. She was fourth and sixth at Oulton Park and seventh at Rockingham, partnering Jade Edwards for one race.  

Mary McGee - most famous as a motorcyclist, this Alaskan driver started off in sportscars before winning titles in road racing and motocross. She raced cars between 1957 and 1964, including a Mercedes 300SL, Chevrolet Corvette, Ferrari 250 and several Porsches. Over the years, she raced a 356, 550 and 718, in which she was very successful in ladies’ races. She won four of these in 1961, in Las Vegas, Tucson and Santa Barbara. Later, she also raced in the open classes of SCCA competition, mainly in California.

Patricia Mernone - raced in the USA in the 1960s. She normally competed in SCCA events and favoured European cars. Her most commonly-raced car was a Morgan, which she won three races in in 1964, mostly at Virginia. She won one more race at Virigina in this car in 1965. In 1964 and 1965, she shared a Peugeot 404 with Pinkie Windridge for the recently-founded sedan endurance championship. Earlier, she had partnered Donna Mae Mims in a Renault Dauphine, taking on the 1963 Marlboro 6 Hours. Away from the track, she was an organic chemist. She was a graduate student when she started racing.

Paige Monette (Alexander) - American driver who races sportscars in the USA, in the Trans-Am series. She has been active in club racing since 2004, starting with dirt-track events, and began racing sportscars in 2007, when she contested the GT1 class of the National Championships. Her car was a Chevrolet Corvette, run by her family team. In 2008, she managed her first podium position in this championship, and was ninth overall. In 2010, she moved up to the SCCA Trans-Am series, still driving alongside her brothers, and finished in 30th, after a limited programme. In 2012, she stepped up to the national Trans-Am championship, entering selected races. Paige is notable for being one of the only drivers of Native American origin racing in the States.

Angela M. Negrão da Cunha - Portuguese racer active in GT racing in Portugal and Spain in 2012. She drove a Lotus Evora Cup in four rounds of the Portuguese championship, with Joffrey Didier, with a best finish of ninth, at Braga. Her best result in the Spanish series was also ninth, at Jarama, in the same car, with Didier and Nuno Batista. She does not appear to have competed again after 2012, and it looks to have been her first and only racing season.

Elouise Norris – raced in SCCA events in the 1960s. Rather unusually, she favoured European cars, and she came on the scene in 1963, driving an Alfa Romeo Giulietta to third place at Midland, with her boss, Dave Dooley. At 42, she was a rather late starter. In 1964 and 1965, she raced a Triumph TR3, competing in the American Road Race of Champions twice, with a best finish of eighth in 1964. In 1966, she used both a Lotus Cortina and a Datsun 1500, belonging to Dooley. The Cortina was her car for Trans-Am races. During her six-year career, she took part in the ARRC five times. Her best result was a second place in 1967, driving a Mini. She was bestowed with many awards by the SCCA, including the 1968 Oklahoma Driver of the Year. After retiring from active competition, she served as a steward and SCCA committee member, earning more accolades for her work. She died in 2012.

Rianna O’Meara-Hunt - races GT cars in New Zealand. She started in the Toyota 86 one-make series in 2022, after a long karting career. She still combines racing cars with karts. It was not a full season in the Toyota, but it was enough for her to progress to the NZ GT championship in 2023, driving a Porsche Cayman GT4. She was also chosen for a race seat in the GT4 America series, as part of the Heart of Racing scholarship that got her into senior motorsport. This was in an Aston Martin Vantage GT4, in the Winter series. She was third, fourth and second in class in her three races. In the NZ series, she was fifth and 15th in two rounds at Taupo. She did not finish the third.

Britt van Osta - Belgian driver who races in the Supercar Challenge. She began in 2023, racing a BMW in the Supersport class with her brother, Robin. In 2024, she teamed up with Robin, their father Erwin, Koen Wauters and Nico Verdonck for the Zolder 24 Hours. Their car was a BMW M2 and they were tenth overall, winning the touring car class. She does not appear to have raced in 2025 and has become a mother.

Lorina Padovani - French driver who began her career in Legends in about 2022, when she was 16. In 2023, she raced a Vortex prototype in the Ultimate Cup in Europe, sometimes sharing with Solenn Amrouche. Their best finish together was seventh at Magny Cours. Lorina scored one sixth place at Hockenheim, sharing with Miguel Moiola and Vincent Congnet. She sometimes races alongside her sister Amelie.

Nancy Pierce - raced an Austin-Healey 100 in the United States in the late 1950s. She mainly raced in Florida between 1957 and 1959 and she also travelled to the Bahamas for Nassau Speed Week in 1956, where she was seventh in a Ladies’ heat. Her American racing took in both Ladies’ and mixed events, mostly in the production classes. Her best result was a sixth place at Venice in 1959. According to a Florida newspaper article from 1959, Nancy worked as a commercial artist, set designer and window dresser. She travelled extensively in Europe to paint and acquired one of her Healeys in London. One of these Healeys was a 100-M Le Mans prototype.

Vivian Publicker - raced a Ferrari 250 GT in 1960 and 1961, alongside her husband, Robert, both in Florida and the Bahamas. Her first big race in the car was in December 1960, when she was fourth in a ladies' race at the Nassau Speed Week. She had her first success in April 1961, winning a novices' race at Masters Field in Miami. She later competed at Bartow in SCCA events and at Sebring, but disappears later in the year. She and Robert appear to have owed a lot of money to people and Vivian was later arrested for driving without a road traffic license.

Francisca Queiroz - Portuguese driver who races Porsches, mostly in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Iberica. She became the series' first female entrant in 2023, when she was 17. Competing the in 991 Am class, she was third in her group at the end of the season. She did a part-season in 2024 and was fifth, before returning in 2025 for a full season. She was the fastest of the three women drivers in 2025. Her 2023 season was combined with karting in her national championship, which she had done since 2020. Her career aims include a run at Le Mans.

Danijela Radulovic - raced a KTM X-Bow in Austria and Europe, in the X-Bow Battle series. Her first season was 2012, and she was sixth in the Rookie standings. Her best finishes were a pair of sixth places. She did not run a full season in 2013, and was out of the points table, and the situation was similar in 2014. A good finish in the first Endurance race, with Reini Kofler, gave her a fourteenth place overall. She had entered the Sprint championship in the early part of the season, but scored no points. She appears to have raced an X-Bow in events other than Battle meetings, but details are not forthcoming. In 2015, she moved away from the X-Bow, and seems to have raced a BMW in the DMV BMW Challenge. 

Ellen Reed – raced sports and GT cars in Australia in the 1970s. She drove an MG Midget in the Australian Sports Car Championship in 1978, participating in the Calder, Lakeside and Amaroo Park events, and finishing fifteenth in the championship. Earlier, in 1975, she raced a Triumph Spitfire in the Production Sportscar championship.  She was usually the only woman in the series.

Loretta (“Tetta”) Richert - raced sportscars in the USA in the 1950s and early 1960s, normally in her native Hawaii. She was a regular at Hawaii Speed Week between 1957 and 1959, driving either a Triumph TR2 or a Porsche 550. In 1958, she won four 1600cc class races in the Porsche. The following year, she won a SCCA race for 2000cc cars in the same Porsche. In 1960, she won another race for Modified cars at Kahuku airfield, one of at least two races she did that year at that venue. Previously, as Loretta Turnbull, she raced powerboats and set water speed records. She died in 2000, aged 88.

Alice Ridpath - raced sportscars and saloons in the 1980s. She shared a Saleen Mustang with Lisa Caceres for 1986, racing in the Escort Endurance series. Previously, she raced historics, including an Austin Healey, and worked as a test driver for a Ford Mustang project. She was also one of the PPG Pace Car Team which provided safety car drivers and gave precision driving displays at Indycar events. 

Isabell Rustad - Norwegian driver who is one of the front-runners in the Scandinavian Porsche Sprint Challenge, winning it in 2024. She was fourth and third in her first championship races at Anderstorp in 2022, despite never having driven a GT3 car before. Her best result was a second place at Falkenberg, achieved twice. The same year, she made two guest appearances in the GT4 class at Rudskogen, scoring two class podiums. She was fourth in the 2023 championship, with six podium finishes. This became fourt wins in 2024. Previously, she raced a Peugeot 206 and was active in karting. She is the daughter of Tommy Rustad.

Molly Saleen - raced in the Saleen Cup in the USA. This is a one-make series for the Saleen S1 sportscar and Molly shares her car with Johan Schwartz for the endurance rounds. Previously, she raced karts, Legends cars and Late Model stock cars. She is in charge of Saleen’s retail operation as her day job, as well as being involved in visual aspects of car and merchandise design. Saleen’s “MollyPop” paint scheme and merchandise line was created by her. She is the daughter of company founder Steve Saleen.

Maria Sanchez Iglesias - Spanish driver who races in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Iberica. This appears to be her first season of senior motorsport, although she was active in karting for at least a year beforehand. She races in Category 1 in the Am class. Her best result so far has been a fifth place at Monteblanco, sharing her car with British driver Chloe Grant. The pair compete together in the endurance rounds.

Sharlene Seavey - raced in SCCA events in the 1960s. She drove an Austin-Healey Sprite in 1967. In 1969, she is said to have won four SCCA races out of thirteen that she entered. This was presumably in the Sprite. Sharlene is best known for her membership of the Ring Free Motor Maids team, and practised with them for the 1970 Sebring 12 Hours in a Sebring Sprite. She did not take part in the race itself. Further details about her career are proving very hard to find.

Birgitt Schmack - a graduate of the Ford Fiesta Ladies Cup in 1985. She was not among the front-runners, and was 17th overall. That year, she also took part in the Porsche Club Trophy in Germany, driving a 911. She was second in the Ladies’ standings,  winning at least one ladies’ race, or ladies’ class in a race, possibly at Hockenheim. She continued in Porsche club motorsport in 1986, driving in the Porsche 944 Turbo Cup. She was not overly competitive, and finished out of the top twenty.

Agata (Agi) Smolka - Polish driver who races a Ferrari 488 in the Ferrari Challenge Europe. She was fourth in the Coppa Shell amateur class in 2018 with two runner-up spots as her best finishes, plus a pole position at Mugello which led to a fifth place. 2018 was her first season of competition and the 488 is her first racing car. Her second Ferrari Challenge season ended in a second place in the Am class, with three wins and three seconds. She was third Amateur driver at the Coppa Shell finals, held at Mugello.

Priscilla Speelman - winner of the Sport 1 class of the Dutch Supercar Challenge in 2012. She won eight out of her fourteen races and was only out of the top three on three occasions. Her co-driver for the series was John van der Voort. This was her first senior racing season, and previously, she had a long career in karting. This included three seasons in Superkarts, culminating in an International Championship victory in 2011. Her racing programme was smaller in 2013, but she managed two second places in in the PR1 division of Supercar Superlights, driving a Praga R1 prototype, and another win in the SR3 class, in a Radical. She ran five races overall, and made the podium in all of them. In 2014, she joined the Acceleration MW-V6 Pickup Series for its second half. She was quite competitive, with a sixth place at Monza. She was 21st overall. In 2015, she raced in the Supercar Challenge again, in a SEAT Leon run by Ferry Monster Autosport. She had a mixed season in the championship, but her real highlight was a win in the Oschersleben 24 Hours, driving with Ferry and Robin Monster, Pim Kievit and Theunis van der Grifft. She was fifth in the Supersport Division in 2016, driving Jan van der Kooi's Lotus. In 2017, she was eighth in the Supersport Division 1 championship, driving a SEAT Leon run by Ferry Monster's team. She was partnered by Danny Kroes for the two-driver events. She drove a Lotus again in the 2018 Supercar Challenge (Supersport 1). She was seventh, with three second places and one third. In 2020, she did a part season for the Monster team, driving a VW Golf. Her best finish was a fourth at Zandvoort. She was back in the Supercar Challenge in 2022, racing a VW Golf with Jonas de Kimpe. They were fifth overall. In 2023, she contested the Supersport 2 class in the Golf and finished second, winning eight times. She raced a Golf in the 2025 Supersport class, doing eight of the fourteen races. She was third four times and fifth in the championship.

Emilee Tominovich - started racing in 2010, at the age of 18. She began in SCCA events, in her own Pontiac Solstice, and recorded her first race wins in 2011. In 2012, she was signed up by the TrueCar team, who were putting together an all-female driver lineup. She raced in the Mazda MX-5 Cup, and was tenth overall in her first season, managing two top-ten positions after finishing last in her first race. In 2013, she returned to the Cup on a part-time basis, with different sponsors. The following year, she moved into the Pirelli World Challenge, in the Touring class, driving a Volkswagen Jetta. She was fourth and sixth at New Jersey, and eighth and fifth at Mid-Ohio. In 2017, she drove a Honda Civic, and was fourth in the championship with one third place, at Mosport. Initially, she only got interested in motorsport because she was injured and unable to play football any more.

Germana Tognella - Italian driver who competes in the Ferrari Challenge in Europe. Her career began in 2021 and her Ferrari 488 Challenge car is her first racing machine. Competing in the Am category of the Coppa Shell, her best finish has been a fifth place in one of her earliest races at Brno, following a sixth at Spielberg. She was previously a competitive sailor. 

Jessica Tracy - American driver who races in the American Endurance Racing series. She began her career in club competition in 2015 and then founded a team for the AER with her husband Justin. They ran a number of different cars including a Mazda Miata and a BMW E46 M3. She started driving for the team in 2017 and picked up a class win in her first season. At the end of 2022, she joined the Random Vandals team to race their BMW M2 in the AER and in the US TC series. With co-drivers Alyx Coby and Michael Kanisczak, she won an AER race at Road Atlanta at the start of the season. The TC plans appear to have been shelved.

Sita Vanmeert - Belgian driver who races mostly races sportscars. She competed in the JS2 R class in the 2024 Ligier European Series and became quite quick towards the end of the season, picking up a fourth and third place in Portugal. She was seventh in the championship, partly due to a few DNFs. This was her first season in cars. At the start of the year, she was announced as a driver in the electric Mini-based NextGen Cup, but this did not happen. She is an FIA Motorsport Games karting gold medallist and she returned to karting in 2025.

Veronika Vanyova – Slovakian driver who raced in the Lotus Ladies’ Cup, in 2013 and 2014. Her first season yielded a sixth place overall, with a best race finish of fifth, at the Hungaroring. In the shortened 2014 series, she was fifth, with one fourth-place finish at the Red Bull Ring. In 2015, she raced in mixed competition, taking on the STC Touring Car series in and around Slovakia, and the RCM Cup, which runs throughout Eastern Europe. She has scored better results in the STC Cup, with a seventh and eighth place, at Brno. The situation was similar in 2016; she entered the D4 touring car championship and the Hankook Racer Cup. She struggled in the former, but was a leading driver in the latter, and won a race at the Hungaroring, among many podiums and top-fives. She did a couple more races in 2017, but only managed two 18th places. 

Alexandra Vateva - Bulgarian driver who races Porsche in one-make series around Europe. In 2025, she signed for the Porsche Cup Benelux, after a run in the Porsche Carrera Cup Middle East. She was the first woman to race in the Middle Eastern championship and was third in the Pro-Am class with six podium finishes, three of those being second places at Losail, Bahrain and Jeddah. She was a member of the Porsche Sports Cup Deutschland Talent Pool programme in 2024, having competed in the championship of that name in 2023 and 2024.  

Estelle Vermooten – races a Locost in South Africa. In 2013, she and two team-mates were tenth in the African 6 Hour at Phakisa, against much larger and more powerful cars. In 2014 and 2015, she has been racing in the Lotus Challenge in South Africa. In 2015, she got together with Freak Show Racing again, for the African 6 Hour, still in the Locost. In 2016, she drove the Locost for the TransGlobal team, and raced in the African Endurance Series. Estelle built the car herself. She raced in the Michelin Cup Challenge in 2017, earning a fifth place in the Ladies' standings. This looks to have been a part-season. In 2018, she dis at least one endurance race in South Africa. She initially competed in gymkhana events.

Margaux Verza - raced in the Alpine Elf Europa Cup in 2022. Driving for the Patrick Roger Autosport team, she was 21st in the championship. She describes 2022 as a learning year for a new car and a new championship and she improved throughout the year, posting her best result of 13th place in the final round at Monza. Her Alpine activities continued in 2023 and she was 20th in the championship, with a best finish of seventh at Dijon. She previously raced a Porsche, and returned to German power in 2024, entering the Porsche Sprint Challenge France. In 2025, she competed in the TTE series in France, still with the Porsche, winning the Pirelli Series class. She was also part of a women's team for the Magny Cours round, in support of breast cancer charities.

Erin Vogel - races in the Pirelli GT4 SprintX series in the USA. Her car is a McLaren 570S run by Flying Lizard Motorsport, shared with Michael Cooper. In 2020, her best results were a fourth at Virginia and a fifth place at Road America. In 2021, she became the first woman to win a round of the Fanatec GT World Challenge, driving a Mercedes AMG GT3. Her win came at Virginia in the Pro-Am class and she was also second at Sebring and Watkins Glen. She and Michael Cooper were fifth in the championship. Previously, she raced an Audi R8 LMS for the team, entering the Sonoma rounds of the GT4 Sprint series in 2018 and joining a five-woman team for the NASA 25 Hours of Thunderhill. She also drove in the Porsche Trophy West for Flying Lizard, winning her class. Before that, she raced Porsches and Subarus at club level. In 2022, she and Michael Cooper switched to a RealTime Racing Acura NSX for the Fanatec GT World Challenge. They were sixth in the championship after a best finish of third at Watkins Glen. In 2023, she assumed the presidency of Shift Up Now, a women's motorsport association founded by Pippa Mann.

Naomi van Wagensveld - Dutch driver who competed in the Supercar Challenge in 2025. Her car was a BMW M3, shared with Maarten Baggermans. They were second in the Sport class, with one class win in the Trophy of the Dunes. Naomi had been a promising junior karter and originally got her racing license at 15, but had to step back, largely due to the death of her father.

Dinah Weisberg - races a Mazda MX5 (Miata) in the USA. She has been active in this car since 2015, competing in SCCA events, TC America and the TC class of the Pirelli World Challenge. In 2019, she won an SCCA Major Championship event outright, on her way to ninth overall. Two years earlier, in 2016, she was twelfth in the Pirelli World Challenge, her best points tally in a nationwide championship. Before the Mazda, she raced a Porsche Boxster in the Pirelli World Challenge between 2012 and 2014.

Joy Wilkerson - racing driver and actress in the USA in the 1970s. She started in an all-female “powderpuff derby” at Ascot Speedway, after having been a trophy girl in the 1960s. Most of her racing was done in midgets and sprint cars, but she also raced USAC stock cars and an SCCA Formula Ford. She took part in a Toyota Match Race which supported the US Grand Prix East, a forerunner of the Toyota Pro Celebrity Race. At around the same time, she became licensed by NASCAR for stock car racing in 1974. Although she never quite competed at the highest level, she drove the pace car for a NASCAR event in Ontario.

“Julie Wood” – competed in the KTM X-Bow Battle, based in Austria. She was part of the championship between 2012 and 2014. In 2012, she was eleventh in the Rookie standings. He following year, she was unplaced in the Battle standings. The situation was similar in 2014, although she did manage a fifteenth place in the Endurance championship, with Harduin Putrich. She does not appear to have raced since then. Her real name is unclear; “Julie Wood” is the name of a female motorcyclist in the Michel Vaillant motorsport comics.

Mary “Mickey” Wright - races in Trans Am in the USA. After competing in local “powder puff derby” events in her youth, she took up motorsport again in her forties. Between 2011 and 2013, she raced on dirt tracks, and in club-level stock car and road circuit races. She moved into Trans Am in 2012, running a part-season in the TA2 class. Another season with a couple of guest appearances followed, and this year she managed her first top ten, an eighth place at Sebring. In 2014, she joined up with Derhaag Motorsports, having secured some decent sponsorship, and did the full championship season. Her second season with Derhaag, in 2016, gave her one top-ten finish, a tenth place at Brainerd. She has used the name “Mickey” since childhood, a nickname given to her by her brothers due to her squeakiness.

Margaret (Peggy) Wyllie - raced in the US between 1953 and 1965. She started off in Ladies’ races, but was soon regularly taking part in mixed SCCA events, in a Jaguar or MG. She won eight races during her career, all Ladies’ events. In 1956, she drove in her first Sebring 12 Hour race, sharing a Lotus Mark IX with her husband, Jesse “Doc” Wyllie. They did three Sebring races together, as well as seven editions of the 500 Miles of Road America. Their best finish was sixth, in 1962, driving a Lola Mk I. In recent years, she has been working to promote and provide engineering education to female students.

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