24 HOURS OF LE MANS PACKED WITH HIGHLIGHTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS FOR THE IRON DAMES

Second very strong Top Five in a row

For their sixth consecutive appearance at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and their first one in the new highly competitive LMGT3 category, they delivered a flawless, high-flying performance. At the wheel of their Lamborghini Huracán LMGT3 Evo 2, the trio of Sarah Bovy, Rahel Frey and Michelle Gatting were the only females among the 186 drivers entered to take up the challenge of the ultimate endurance race.

On Thursday, Michelle Gatting took the car for qualifying, narrowly missing out on making Hyperpole by placing in ninth and the team began the race from there.

Rahel Frey, stepping in for Doriane Pin, took the start of the race. The #85 car took time to get up to speed, but a great strategy call during an early rain shower and determined driving from Rahel took the car to the top three after the first few hours before Sarah Bovy took to the track. She was running very well in third when she was hit by the #4 Porsche Penske car, which did more damage to itself, not least with a penalty, than to the Dames’ car.

The team had lost around a minute due to the collision, but was still in the mix when Sarah handed back to Michelle. The team was able to run in the top eight as night time descended, including through a long Safety Car period, before Rahel took the car back as rain fell. The car, however, was not fast at this point of the race.

The rain fell very heavily at around 4am CET, and this necessitated a very long Safety Car period. This allowed the team to use up the rest of Sarah’s drive time before handing back to Michelle for the restart from the top eight.

In the morning hours, a combination of great strategy and great driving from Michelle and later Rahel put the #85 in contention for a podium finish, sitting in third as the afternoon approached.

As the hours ticked down, the Iron Dames valiantly pushed on through further rain showers and Safety Cars but slipped down the order slightly. Regardless, they came home a very commendable fifth on the debut for the Huracán at this 24-hour race.

Remarkable Success of “Every Dream Matters” Project at the 24 Hours of Le Mans

For the 92nd edition of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans, Iron Dames presented “Every Dream Matters”, a truly unique project involving children in the creative process of the car’s livery to create a one-of-a-kind design that captures the essence of childhood imagination and carries hopes of a generation. Le Mans embodies a bridge between legend and the future, a bridge between generations, which is the very essence of the Iron Dames project and was particularly well suited to this initiative. It received an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response within the paddock and had a profound inspirational impact on fans, particularly the younger generation, emphasising the importance of dreams and the endless possibilities they bring.

Pupils from Le Mans school Visit the Circuit

A heartwarming highlight of the week was the visit from the students of the Michel-Ange School on Thursday at the Circuit de la Sarthe. These young visitors had the opportunity to meet the Iron Dames drivers, learn about the life of a race car driver, and see the special car livery inspired by their own drawings. The children were even able to write their names on the car, creating an unforgettable moment that will remain etched in their memories forever.

Deborah Mayer Honoured with Spirit of Le Mans Trophy

Deborah Mayer was honoured this week, receiving the prestigious Spirit of Le Mans trophy. She is the first woman ever to be awarded this accolade, which annually hails a figure who embodies the core values of endurance racing: dedication, commitment, teamwork, and sporting endeavour. Deborah’s recognition is a testament to her pioneering vision, relentless pursuit of excellence and inspirational role in motorsport.

Iron Dames Merchandise a Hit in Fan Village

This year also marked the debut of an Iron Dames merchandise shop in the fan village, featuring a special 24H Le Mans X Iron Dames collection. The shop was a resounding success, with a constant queue throughout the week, particularly with groups of families. The brand’s iconic pink caps were spotted on thousands of spectators showcasing the widespread appeal and support for the brand.

The Iron Dames will undoubtedly have left their mark on the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The project proves to be a major player in the history of endurance racing, but it also continues to push the boundaries of the sport. More than just a racing team’s track record, “being an Iron Dame” is an attitude that should inspire all generations and all professional environments where women are present so they can excel at the highest level.

I think that since we arrived this week, I’ve been saying that if we finished in the top five, we’d be happy. We know that this is a new category and we’ve been building up little by little, but we knew that the competition here would be very fast. The team did a great job in terms of strategy, car preparation and reliability. Hats off to the team for that. We’ve done nothing but climb up the field and I don’t have the disappointment of thinking that we’ve missed out on something. This year was the best we could have hoped for, and we’ll have to hopefully come back and try to finish on the podium.

Sarah Bovy