Porsche Motorsport has confirmed that the Iron Dames will return to the marque in the start of a new multi-year partnership with the all-female squad. It marks the beginning of a new initiative to promote women in motorsport.
The partnership includes the promotion of long-time Iron Dame driver Michelle Gatting to Porsche contracted driver. The Danish racer will be joined by Switzerland’s Rahel Frey, Sarah Bovy from Belgium, and French driver Célia Martin. The four drivers will compete across the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship’s Michelin Endurance Cup (GT Daytona), FIA World Endurance Championship (LMGT3), European Le Mans Series (LMGT3) and Asian Le Mans Series (GT). The latter series gets it start next weekend at Sepang.
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Iron Dames will partner with Team Manthey for WEC where Gatting, Bovy and Martin will make up the core squad, and Proton Competition in the other series. Gatting, Bovy and Frey will be the core driver lineup for the Michelin Endurance Cup.
“Porsche stands for a culture of equal opportunities and diversity. Encouraging women to get involved in motorsport and then supporting them in open competition is something we value highly,” said Thomas Laudenbach, Vice President Porsche Motorsport.
“In this context, we’ve seen that the Iron Dames project is well-structured and was very successful in recent years Since our customer teams have already celebrated victories with the Iron Dames, we’re now taking the next logical step. We’re very confident that the collaboration in all series will reap excellent results and we can highlight our contribution to supporting female racing drivers with victories and podium finishes.”
Launched in 2018 by Deborah Mayer, Iron Dames has been competing in worldwide endurance racing, and is the first all-female team to win a race in the FIA World Endurance Championship. Bovy, Frey and Gatting captured the final GTE-Am victory in the 2023 season-ender in Bahrain (main image). That victory came in a Porsche 911 RSR 19.
“It’s an honor to join forces with such a renowned brand as Porsche Motorsport, who share the same goal of leaving a lasting legacy in motorsport while driving forward progress,” said Mayer. “The Iron Dames Project has always been rooted in the power of dreams to overcome barriers. Our journey is not just about competing at the highest level, but also about proving that the door to the racing world is open to everyone with passion and determination.
“From 2025, we aim to set new benchmarks together, to empower women in endurance racing, support upcoming female drivers, change perceptions and inspire the next generation. ‘Porsche X Iron Dames’ provides more than a fresh impetus for women in motorsport, it sends a powerful message that every dream is worth pursuing, no matter how ambitious. I look forward to seeing Célia, Michelle, Rahel and Sarah racing Porsche cars all over the world again and to seeing the ‘Every Dream Matters’ movement flourish with them.”
The alliance between Porsche Motorsport and Iron Dames is set to continue for several years. Plans are already in the pipeline for the project to be closely linked to the German sports car manufacturer’s successful junior development pyramid. The aim is to link the national support programs in the Porsche one-make cups, the central Junior Program of Porsche Motorsport and the recently introduced “Iron Dames Young Talents” initiative. The aim is to create a path for young talent from karting to top-tier racing.