Sunday morning in Bahrain saw final confirmation that Celia Martin will join the full Iron Dames roster as a Bronze-ranked driver for 2025, as Sarah Bovy is confirmed in the latest FIA rankings as a Silver. This shift serves as a prelude to a new-look programme and driver stable for next year.
There were clear indications that change was coming last month when the Iron Dames were out in force during the post-season test days after the end of the European Le Mans Series campaign at Portimao.
The drivers on hand turned laps in the #85 Porsche that the team campaigned throughout the 2024 ELMS season, after ceding a race win in the season finale in order secure a title for the ‘brother’ Iron Lynx squad Lamborghini effort.
Across the test days Michelle Gatting set target times for Silver-ranked Marta Garcia and Karen Gaillard, plus Bronze ranked Celia Martin.
After significant stability in recent seasons with the ELMS and WEC squads built around the current three-driver line-up, plus Doriane Pin, changes are expected in the full-season line-ups for 2025.
Current Bronze-ranked racer Sarah Bovy is set to be upgraded to Silver after two consecutive successful appeals in the past two years, whilst both Michelle Gatting (now Gold) and Rahel Frey (now Silver) had their rankings changed for 2024.
2023 F1 Academy Champion Garcia and 2024 Michelin Le Mans Cup racer Martin both look set to feature in an expanded roster across four planned programmes in the Asian LMS, FIA WEC, ELMS and IMSA, all told it will see them participate in some 25 races. The team’s effort in all four series looks set to be based around Porsche machinery.
Indeed, Celia Martin has been confirmed as part of the programme line-up in an announcement today.
Subject to confirmation, the 2025 LMGT3 FIA WEC Porsche effort, again to be run by Manthey, is expected to feature the Iron Dames in one car and a crew built around Bronze-ranked 2023 ELMS champion Ryan Hardwick in the other.
