Electric Dream REALISED Katherine Legge Joins the Formula E Grid AUTO+WOMEN in MOTOR SPORT AUTO+WOMEN in MOTOR SPORT
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FIA WOMEN IN MOTOR SPORT AUGUST 2014 – Issue 5 PEAK PERFORMER McLaren engineer Bernadette Collins on helping Jenson Button get up to speed PG 8 AUTO MAKING HISTORY Susie Wolff becomes the first woman in 22 years to take part in a grand prix weekend PG 10 wOmen in MORE JOY AT LE MANS FOR LEENA Audi race engineer Leena Gade takes a remarkable third career win at Le Sarthe PG 15 motorspOrT ELECTRIC DREAM REALISED Katherine Legge joins the Formula E grid AuTO+wOmeN IN mOTOr SPOrT AuTO+wOmeN IN mOTOr SPOrT Welcome to the latest edition of the FIA’s Auto+ Women in Motorsport newsletter. It’s been an exceptional few months for racing women, with some historic achievements being scored across a range of categories. In racing’s premier category, Formula One, FIA Women in Motorsport Ambassador Susie Wolff made a little bit of history at the British Grand Prix by becoming the first woman in 22 years to take part in a grand prix weekend. In the FIA World Endurance Championship, Audi race engineer and fellow Commission Ambassador Leena Gade took a remarkable third career victory at the Le Mans 24-Hour race, snatching victory with her crew in the final stages of the gruelling event. Meanwhile, in the FIA World Rallycross Championship a record eight women took part in the Swedish round of the series. It wasn’t only in the FIA’s world championships that female racers were excelling. From Auto GP to the Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup and on to the success of two women in securing seats in the Formula E Championship, female racers have been grabbing the limelight across motor sport. In this edition we bring all those stories and CONTACTS: If yOu hAve ANy comments more. We hope you enjoy this edition and, as AbOuT ThIS NewSleTTer Or always, we welcome your feedback. storIeS fOr The NexT issue, we wOuld lOve to heAr frOm yOu. e-mAIl [email protected] Your AUTO+ team 2 3 AuTO+wOmeN IN mOTOr SPOrT AuTO+wOmeN IN mOTOr SPOrT FIA Formula E Championship Legge gets Formula E race seat with Amlin Aguri as Cerruti signs for Trulli Two female racers will line up on the new FIA Formula E “I am thrilled to be part of the ground-breaking Formula Cerruti joins the championship hot on the heels of taking her Both drivers got their first taste of Formula E machinery Championship grid for the inaugural round of the electric E championship. Being a driver in the Amlin Aguri team is a first win in the Auto GP single seater-series, which uses 3.5-litre, across four days of testing at the championship’s UK base at racing series, which takes place at Beijing’s ‘Bird’s Nest’ Olympic dream come true,” said Katherine of her appointment to drive normally aspirated V8-powered cars, at Imola recently. Donington, earlier this month. Stadium in September. for the team alongside Portuguese driver António Félix da Costa, Racing for the respected Super Nova International After missing out on the first day due to technical issues, IndyCar and United Sports Car Series racer Katherine Legge who joins the series from DTM in which he races with BMW and racing team Michela soaked up intense pressure from the Cerruti made solid progress and on day four recorded the 16th- has been snapped up by the Amlin Aguri team, while Italian Formula One, where he is reserve driver with the Infiniti Red championship’s second-placed driver Kevin Giovesi of the fastest time, 2.4s off pacesetter Sébastien Buemi, who recorded driver Michela Cerruti, who recently scored a first victory in the Bull Racing team. FMS team to become the first female winner in the series. She a lap of 1m31s. Auto GP series, has been signed to race with the team fronted by “Everyone involved is seriously excited and serious about currently lies sixth in the standings 13 points behind fifth-placed Legge, meanwhile, finished the final day in 18th place, former Formula One race star Jarno Trulli. winning,” added Legge. “We’ve got a really strong racing Andrea Roda and 66 points behind leader Kimiya Sato. though she was some five seconds ahead of team-mate Fabio In the last edition of the FIA Women in Motorsport pedigree, the best technical expertise and uniquely we have “I’m very pleased to join the Trulli Formula E Team and I am Leimer. Newsletter Legge said that having been involved with the [sponsor] Amlin’s analytical skills. I think we’ve put together very honoured to be part of the FIA Formula E Championship,” “I’ve really started to gel with the team during testing so far efficiency-targeted DeltaWing project in the United Sports Car exactly the right tools and support that will help drivers like me she said. “I really do believe that this series can help attract and we’re making strides in our endeavour to be a competitive Series, Formula E resonated with her both for its sustainable to win races in this new format. people to use electric vehicles and help care for the future of the force in the championship,” said Legge afterwards. “The team focus and the quality of its entry list. “There is incredible commitment and professionalism within environment.” boasts great technical expertise with our Team Principal Mark “I really want to prove myself in a global series that is well our team, it’s a very special place to be,” she concluded. “I can’t Of his new driver, Trulli said: “Michela is a very talented Preston and Technical Director Peter McCool both having had respected,” she said in signing up for the Formula E Drivers wait to bring racing to people in cities around the world, it’s driver with a natural skill. I was impressed by her recent results careers in F1, so the team is certainly in good hands as we build Club, the group of 40 drivers who expressed a desire to race in going to be a unique experience for everyone.” considering the very limited time she has spent in single-seaters. toward the first race in Beijing.” the championship. Cerruti, meanwhile, will race alongside 2004 Monaco Grand I’m extremely happy to share my long Formula One experience The inaugural FIA Formula E Championship kicks off in That wish has now been realised, thanks to the Amlin Aguri Prix winner Jarno Trulli. A veteran of 252 Formula One races with Michela to make our team successful. I’m convinced that Beijing on September 13, after which it will take in nine more team which is being run by former Formula One team owner with teams such as Renault, Toyota and Caterham, Trulli is she is an up and coming star, the one to watch for this season city races around the world, reaching its finale in London on Aguri Suzuki. fronting his own team in Formula E. and the future.” June 27, 2015. Amlin Aguri’s Katherine Legge: I think we’ve put together Michela Cerruti , who recently became the first exactly the right tools and support that will help drivers like me woman to win in Auto GP, will race for the Trulli team 4to win races in this new format.” in Formula E in the 2014-15 season. 5 AuTO+wOmeN IN mOTOr SPOrT AuTO+wOmeN IN mOTOr SPOrT FIA World Rallycross Championship FIA Women in Motorsport Commission Female racers FIA signs Brighton out in force in Declaration on World Rallycross Women and Sport Championship The FIA Women in Motorsport Commission last month journeyed to Helsinki in Finland to take part in the 6th International Working Group World Conference on Women and Sport, a visit that began with the FIA signing the Brighton Declaration on The Swedish round of the FIA World Rallycross Championship Women and Sport. saw the series’ largest ever female entry, as eight women The Declaration, drawn up in 1994 at the first World competed across the championship’s various categories. Conference on Women and Sport, provides principles to guide Topping the bill in the Supercar category, at her home action intended to increase the involvement of women in sport event, was Ramona Karlsson. The FIA Women in Motorsport at all levels and in all functions and roles and has now been Commission member joined the series at the start of this year signed by more than 400 organisations worldwide. following a successful career in rallying and at the Höljes In Helsinki the declaration was signed on behalf of the circuit she powered her Per Eklund Motorsport Saab 9-3 FIA by Women in Motorsport Commission President Michèle Supercar to her first heat win. Mouton who said: “The goals and missions of the FIA Women “What a great feeling to win in front of the home audience, in Motorsport Commission are completely in harmony with the and with over 30,000 spectators,” she said of her victory. “I principles of the Brighton Declaration and while there is a lot to had goose bumps all over when I opened the door and heard be achieved, we are working hard to realise our objectives. Only the crowd.” a small percentage of women are represented in motor sport and However, despite the win the Swede was not happy with knowing the reason why this is the case is one of our biggest the pace of her car in the following rounds. “I’m at least one challenges. We will work with all those organisations who have second per lap slower than I expected and that’s way too much.