Iron Dames to become first ever female team in GT World Challenge Europe

The Iron Dames trio composed of Katherine Legge, Sarah Bovy and Doriane Pin will make history one week from now, when they will make the first start ever for a fully female team in the GT World Challenge Europe.

Iron Dames announced earlier this week that for the first time ever, the all-female team will field a car in the Fanatec GT World Challenge Europe Powered by AWS Endurance Cup.

The Iron Lynx-run project, created by Ferrari ambassador Deborah Mayer and supported by the FIA Women In Motorsport Commission, has already brought all-female crews to the most important European GT and endurance championships such as WEC, ELMS, Ferrari Challenge, Michelin Le Mans Cup and is getting ready for its third running of the biggest event of the year, the 24 Hours of Le Mans later this August.

Last weekend, new Ferrari Driver Academy member Maya Weug made her debut in the Italian F4 championship - also as part of the Iron Dames crew. She will in fact compete in her first season in single seaters with the support of the Italian team.

The three women that will hit the track next week for the third round of the GT World Challenge Europe at Circuit Paul Ricard will be Katherine Legge, Sarah Bovy and Doriane Pin.

16 year old French driver Doriane Pin joined Iron Dames this year after impressing at the "FIA Girls on Track" selections. She was in fact one of the four finalists of the first ever edition of the project that crowned Maya Weug and granted her a contract with the exclusive FDA program.

Her performances, though, didn't go unnoticed and was announced as part of the Michelin Le Mans Cup program with another new team signing - former W Series driver Sarah Bovy.

Thanks to her previous appearances in Blancpain GT Series and Lamborghini Super Trofeo, Bovy is an experienced grand touring car driver that will be fundamental to the crew's success.

After an unlucky season in 2020, where she suffered a huge accident that forced her to give up the entire European Le Mans Series campaign, Katherine Legge made her return at the top of endurance racing earlier this month, when she started her first race in black and pink colours at the WEC season opener at Spa Francorchamps. The British ace - one of the most popular and influential female figures in motorsport and that can count on a remarkable resumé in single-seaters, GT and prototypes, will be a valuable captain for her two teammates.

"We have a phenomenal line-up in Doriane, Sarah and Katherine, we are exceptionally proud to be able to bring the first all women racing squad to race with Ferrari in GT World Challenge Europe - said project leader and founder Deborah Mayer.

While the Iron Dames trio will be the first all-female team to enter an Endurance round of the SRO-sanctioned championship, GT World Challenge Europe has previously seen female entries: the first was current Extreme E driver Claudia Hürtgen, who entered the 2011 24H of Spa. Michela Cerruti has the most starts (11), while Rahel Frey - now also part of the Iron Dames project - contested a full season in 2013. Simona De Silvestro also had a one-off appearance last year at Nürburgring, with Christina Nielsen, Angelique Detavernier, Stéphane Kox, Abbie Eaton and Caitlin Wood all taking the start of at least one round.

The 1000km of Paul Ricard, third round of the GT World Challenge Europe, will get underway on 29/30 May.