Women in Motorsport 2024 Review. And, what a year it has been. New Champions have been crowned, Championships have achieved milestone recognition, and partnerships have increased sustainability of racing for women competing in varying FIA and FIM disciplines in Europe, the America’s, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Australasia.
Most certainly, women competing in 2024 World Championships banked on gaining optimum results not only for their own upward trajectory of their respective racing careers, but also for increasing exposure of Brands, sponsors, and industry provider’s whose support enabled each to race. With all necessary agreements in place prior to the start of the season, short and long term objectives came into play each time the rider/driver raced – which varied from 14 days in The Dakar Rally, to 13 Rounds in GNCC WXC, to 7 Rounds in WMX and F1 Academy, 6 Rounds in World WCR, and Women’s Enduro World Championship, 6 days in ISDE Women’s World Trophy, and 5 Rounds in Women’s World Trial World Championship.
Taken in context, women needed to showcase their talent, skills, and race-craft within a handful of days over an entire season to fulfill goals of maximizing their potential on the track. And, within these race-times – which can be calculated as 7-6-5 weekends from February through to December – each female needed to remain steadfast under pressure given the limited number of days racing to leverage pointy end results for rider/driver and Team.
The limited racing schedules meant award winning results tasted all the more sweeter for women taking victory for the first or consecutive times. These moments were especially true for Spanish driver – Cristina Gutierrez – who became the first women to win The Dakar Rally Car category since Germany’s Jutta Kleinschmidt won the classification in 2001. Equally compelling results were achieved by America’s Sara Price who won a Stage victory on debut with co-driver Jeremy Gray.
The 18th running of Women’s Motocross World Championship produced a high end performance from Dutch rider – Lotte van Drunen – taking the Title as the youngest female rider in history, at 17 years of age. Known, as queen of the sand, Lotte delivered stellar performances across 7 Rounds, taking double moto wins in Round 2 and 6 in Sardenga and the Netherlands, completing the final victory in Turkey with a race to spare. Equally impressive was Spanish rider – and Vice Champion Daniela Guillen – winning Rounds 1 and 7, with Germany’s Larissa Papenemier winning Round 4, and Dutch rider – Lynn Valk taking victory in Round 5, in Italy.
The global recognition F1 Academy has achieved in 2 years of racing is phenomenal. The all female, single-seater Series has given rise to 15 driver’s plus wild cards in the 2024 season, with Rodin Motorsport driver – Abbi Pulling – taking overall victory at Formula One Qatar Grand Prix at the weekend. Abbi’s outstanding consistency of results – winning 7 of 11 races to date – elevated her points standings to 263 – 83 points ahead of P2 driver Dorian Pin, winning the Championship with a Round to spare. Notably, Pin has capped the season with 3 wins – Round 1: R1 in Jeddah, Round 4: R2 at Zandvoort, and Round 6: R1 at Lusail. American driver, Chloe Chambers grabbed a race win in Round 3: R2 in Barcelona.
The debut of Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship provided a unique opportunity for up to 24 women to compete across 6 Rounds on board identical Yamaha YZF R7 bikes. Given the limited spaces for females to secure rides within WSBK/WSBKSSP/WSBKSSP 300 and MotoGP/MotoE, racing proved to be exciting with Spanish rider – Ana Carrasco – taking out the Title at WSBK Final Round in Jerez. For certain, Spain’s leading women dominated the top 3 standings – with wins and podiums between Ana, Maria Herrera, Sara Sanchez, and Beatriz Nelia – with Italian rider Roberta Ponziani and Australia’s Tayla Relph breaking the odds, placing P2 and P3 respectively in Round 4, in Italy.
Women’s Enduro World Championship was hard won, with Spanish rider Mireia Badia taking the Title at the Final Round in France. Mireia’s consistency of results proved to be a winning formula given the physically and technically demanding tests which range from Extreme Enduro through to Enduro Cross. Equally impressive on debut was American rider – Rachel Gutish – whose experience racing GNCC WXC at home along with Sprint Enduro Championships – nudged Rachel to take race wins with British rider – Rosie Rowett – claiming P3 overall.
America’s Grand National Cross Country Series, WXC category has provided women a golden opportunity to ply their talent and skills across 13 Rounds from February through to October. New Zealand’s Rachael Archer won her 3rd consecutive Title, winning 5 races along with 11 podiums from 13, trouncing the theory that dreaming of racing and winning in America’s GNCC WXC can be a reality – even growing up on the family farm in NZ.
Fellow GNCC WXC rider – Brandy Richards – proved a formidable competitor racing 2024 ISDE 6 days in Women’s World Trophy, not only winning the Individual category, but also with Team United States along with rider’s – Rachel Gutish and Ava Silvestri. And, accolades go to long standing FIM Women’s Trial World Champion – Emma Bristow – who won her 10th Title this season – capping off an amazing career over the past 24 years.
An awesome year for Women in Motorsport, looking forward to 2025.
Header photo: Images: Teams Graphics: MXLink.
Words: Sharon Cox.
Comments are closed.