Iron Dames begin new chapter with Laura van den Hengel and Sarah Bovy in GT2 European Series
- RACERS
- 7 hours ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 54 minutes ago
As the 2026 GT2 European Series gets underway this weekend at Monza, one of motorsport's most influential initiatives for women in motorsport, Iron Dames, enters a new e season with an exciting driver pairing.
As the 2026 GT2 European Series gets underway this weekend at Monza, one of motorsport's most influential initiatives enters a new season with an exciting driver pairing that combines an emerging bronze-rated talent and elite experience.
Representing the iconic pink colours this season will be Dutch Laura van den Hengel and Belgian endurance racing ace Sarah Bovy, as Iron Dames launches a new programme in one of the fastest-growing championships on the SRO platform.
While the Iron Dames project has undergone changes lately, scaling down from some of its flagship programmes in the FIA World Endurance Championship and European Le Mans Series, the arrival of this new GT2 European Series effort demonstrates that Iron Dames remains committed to developing female talent and creating opportunities at a high level of international sportscar racing.
The new programme may look different, but the philosophy remains unchanged.
The Dutch racer Laura van den Hengel, one of the most exciting female bronze-rated drivers currently in international GT racing, arrives as the reigning GT Cup Europe Pro-Am champion after a breakthrough 2025 campaign that saw her become the first woman in history to win a title in a GT Sport-sanctioned championship.
What makes that achievement particularly remarkable is the speed of her progression. Unlike many drivers who arrive in GT racing after years climbing the single-seater ladder, van den Hengel made a direct leap from karting and after a hiatus. Entering GT Cup Europe with relatively limited experience, she was only in her second full season of GT competition when she mounted her championship challenge in 2025.
Initially joining the Iron Dames "Supported by Iron Dames" programme, van den Hengel quickly justified the faith placed in her. Throughout 2025 she transformed from a promising newcomer into a genuine title contender, collecting her first race victories before eventually sealing the Pro-Am crown.
Her rise has been built largely through determination and persistence rather than extensive financial backing. In a sport where budgets often dictate opportunities, van den Hengel has carved her own path through hard work, becoming a real breath of fresh air in contemporary motorsport.
Now, after proving herself in GT Cup Europe, she graduates into the main 2026 Iron Dames programme for what is arguably the biggest step of her career so far.
Alongside her stands one of the most respected figures in endurance racing: Sarah Bovy has been part of the Iron Dames journey since 2021 and has played a crucial role in many of the project's defining moments.
The Belgian initially joined the programme as its Bronze-rated driver and quickly established herself as one of the strongest AMs in international GT racing. Her performances helped elevate Iron Dames from an ambitious project into a genuine contender at the highest levels of endurance contests.
Among her many achievements, Bovy became the first woman in history to secure a pole position in the FIA World Endurance Championship, and was also part of the Iron Dames line-up that claimed victory in the prestigious 24 Hours of Spa and has competed in five editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans as well as three Rolex 24 at Daytona events. Her résumé spans some of the world's most competitive championships, including GT World Challenge Europe, the FIA World Endurance Championship, the European Le Mans Series and IMSA competition.
Like van den Hengel, Bovy's route to the top was far from straightforward. Before Iron Dames arrived on the scene, she spent years fighting for opportunities without the benefit of major financial support. The project ultimately transformed her career and provided the platform that allowed her to establish herself as an internationally recognised endurance racer, giving her the crucial track time to prove herself.
In 2025, Bovy entered another phase of her career when she was promoted from Bronze to Silver FIA driver status. Rather than stepping away from the programme, she embraced a new role as one of its pro drivers, competing in the European Le Mans Series alongside Gold-rated Michelle Gatting and bronze Célia Martin.
The transition was seamless; Bovy quickly demonstrated she could be competitive among the Silver-rated field as well, further building her reputation at the top of endurance racing. In 2026, she is also set to contest the upcoming Spa 24 Hours with Comtoyou Racing.
For van den Hengel, there could hardly be a better mentor and teammate.
In 2026, with the Iron Dames operation taking on a new approach, the core line up found itself looking for opportunities to keep competing at elite level – and GT2 European Series provided a highly valuable opportunity for both van den Hengel and Bovy.
Rather than competing with a traditional GT2-homologated car, the team will instead enter a Porsche 992 GT3 Cup machine under the championship's invitational regulations, now open to Cup cars as well.
A car designed to be tough to drive for the GT3 stars of tomorrow as a learning ground, its different philosophy from the GT2 platform will result in the team having to find some middle ground.
The programme is operated by Italian squad SP Racing in partnership with Dinamic, an organisation with extensive Porsche experience through Carrera Cup competitions as well as previous GT2 involvement, especially campaigns with the Maserati GT2.
For van den Hengel, the choice of machinery provides some continuity: much of her recent success has come behind the wheel of the Porsche 992 GT3 Cup, allowing her to build on an existing knowledge base while adapting to a new championship environment.
For Bovy, whose recent career has been centred primarily around GT3 machinery, the adjustment appears equally manageable thanks to her extensive experience across a wide variety of sportscars.
The challenge, however, should not be underestimated: GT2 machinery enjoys a significant power advantage over Porsche Cup cars. At Monza in particular, often referred to as the "Temple of Speed", straight-line performance is critical: the long straights and heavy braking zones are inevitably going to to favour the more powerful GT2-spec entries, which can even outperform GT3 machinery in certain conditions around the Italian circuit.
As a result, the opening weekend may represent something of a baptism of fire for the new Iron Dames pairing.
While expectations should remain realistic for the season opener, several circuits later in the calendar could offer a much clearer indication of the duo's true potential.
Tracks such as Spa-Francorchamps, Misano and Zandvoort feature more flowing sections where driver confidence, consistency and cornering performance can play a larger role. Those characteristics could allow van den Hengel and Bovy to extract more from the Porsche package and close the gap to the traditional GT2-spec entries. The season finale at Portimão could also prove particularly interesting, with both drivers having historically performed strongly at the Portuguese circuit.
Even at Monza, there are meaningful objectives to pursue. Van den Hengel's speed and consistency as a strong Bronze drivers should provide a solid foundation throughout the season, while Bovy's experience in race management can help the team maximise every opportunity in what will be a record-breaking GT2 European Series field.
Even bigger than results, however, this programme represents another important chapter in the continuing evolution of Iron Dames. The structure may have changed, and the project may be exploring new ways of competing in 2026, but the mission remains the same, with a new, exciting, all-female programme, showcasing talented female drivers in sports car racing, where its core DNA remains.
