Iron Dames expand to full GTWC campaigns, Pin to race in Ferrari Challenge

Highly-acclaimed fuIl-female squad Iron Dames confirm 2021 line-up of Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting and Sarah Bovy for the full WEC, ELMS and expand to a full campaign in GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup. Doriane Pin will contest the Ferrari Challenge season.

Photo credits: Iron Lynx / Iron Dames

Iron Dames are back on track - and are back for more glory: the highly-acclaimed Iron Lynx team will again oversees the Iron Dames Ferrari 488 GTE and GT3 cars, helping one the most famous all-female projects in recent years to make more history in the world's endurance scene. Launched by newly-appointed FIA Women In Motorsport Commission President Deborah Mayer, Iron Dames have in fact established itself as a groundbreaking initiative for women in the sport - but has certainly not entered the most competitive GT championships just to make up the numbers: Rahel Frey, Michelle Gatting and Manuela Gostner - the inaugural line up - went on to finish 9th in two editions of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and amassed podium finishes in European Le Mans Series before stepping up to FIA WEC in 2021. British racing star Katherine Legge was set to join the team in 2021, but a double-program in IMSA meant that the expert racer could only join Iron Dames on a couple of occasions. New recruits Sarah Bovy and Doriane Pin - initially teaming up in the Michelin Le Mans Cup - proved to be outstanding resources and, after several podiums, Bovy was promoted to the main team in WEC and then ELMS. Together they would once again finish the Le Mans endurance classic within the Top-10 and put together more impressive performances in the final rounds of the ELMS season. At the same time, Michelle Gatting made history and became the first ever woman to win the title in the Ferrari Challenge Europe Pirelli Trophy, in her first full season in the one-make series. At the World Finals, Gatting was joined by Doriane Pin, who ran in the top-five at her first outing. On Wednesday, Iron Lynx announced their racing programs for the 2022 season, which include again the participation in FIA WEC, ELMS, and will expand to a full season in the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, after two appearances in 2021 at Paul Ricard and Barcelona. The drivers line-up has been confirmed: team leader Rahel Frey will once again lead the trio, joined by Michelle Gatting and Sarah Bovy. Alongside the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Iron Dames will therefore also contest the 24 Hours of Spa. After the title-winning campaign in Ferrari Challenge, Iron Dames will continue to enter a GT3 Cup car in the Pirelli Trophy Pro class for Doriane Pin. "We had such an incredible year in 2021, and we will approach the upcoming season with that same spirit." - said Andrea Piccini, driver and Team Manager. "We know that it will be difficult to repeat the success of 2021 but this will be our target for this season." “The Iron Dames are also delighted to see the return of Sarah Bovy, Michelle Gatting and Rahel Frey across multiple championships for 2022. We are looking forward to more positive results, with all three drivers showing already great promise last year." “Doriane Pin competing for us in the Ferrari Challenge is a great addition to our plans, and we have high expectations there", concluded Piccini. The team also fielded one Tatuus F4 car for Maya Weug in the 2021 Italian F4 Championship, as the winner of the inaugural FIA ìGirls On Track - Rising Stars' program benefited from the partnership between the Ferrari Driver Academy and Iron Lynx. The Italian team will announce its plans and drivers for the upcoming Italian F4 and ADAC German F4 championships in due course.

Photo credits: Iron Lynx / Iron Dames