Porsche and Iron Dames are joining forces to strengthen a commitment for change.
With an emphasis on both sporting excellence and a sense of purpose, the programme will operate under the Porsche X Iron Dames: Because Every Dream Matters banner.
Starting in December 2024, Iron Dames will compete at the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 R in four major international endurance racing championships: the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), IMSA Sportscar Championship, European Le Mans Series (ELMS), and Asian Le Mans Series (AsianLMS).
The Iron Dames’ 2025 line-ups
Asian Le Mans Series (AsianLMS): Michelle Gatting, Sarah Bovy, Celia Martin – Proton Competition
FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC): Michelle Gatting, Rahel Frey, Celia Martin – Manthey Racing
IMSA SportsCar Championship: Michelle Gatting, Rahel Frey Sarah Bovy – Proton Competition
European Le Mans Series (ELMS): Michelle Gatting, Sarah Bovy, Celia Martin – Proton Competition
In other Iron Dames news:
Michelle Gatting is promoted to driver under contract with Porsche, a testament to her exceptional talent and progress year on year and a major step forward in her professional career.
2024 double Ligier European Series race winner Marta García successfully tested the TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team’s Porsche 99X Electric last month.
Karen Gaillard, recently named Junior Porsche Carrera Cup France 2025, will be part of the Iron Dames crew for the 24 Hours of Daytona and has everything it takes to be one of the project’s future GT talents.
There are also plans to closely link the project with the German sports car manufacturer’s proven and tested junior development programme. The aim here is to interlink the national development programmes in the Porsche one-make cups, the central Junior programme by Porsche Motorsport and the recently launched ‘Iron Dames Young Talents’ programme. Ideally, this will create a pathway for young talents from karting to professional motorsport.
Deborah Mayer, Iron Dames project founder said: “It’s an honour to join forces with such a prestigious brand as Porsche Motorsport, that shares the same ambition of leaving a lasting legacy in motorsport while driving progress. The Iron Dames project has always been rooted in the power of dreams to shatter barriers and our journey is not just about competing at the highest level but also proving that the racing world holds a place for everyone with passion and determination. Together, we aim to set a new course for empowering women in endurance racing by 2025, developing future female drivers, reshaping perceptions and inspire the next generation. Porsche X Iron Dames is more than a new momentum for women in motorsport, it’s a powerful statement that every dream, no matter how ambitious, is worth pursuing. I look forward to seeing Celia, Michelle, Rahel, and Sarah around the world racing with Porsche again and the ‘Every Dream Matters’ movement growing with them.”
Thomas Laudenbach, Head of Porsche Motorsport: “Porsche stands for a culture of equal opportunities and diversity. This diversity manifests itself in various dimensions, including age, origin and gender. And we firmly believe that diverse teams are more successful, even or even more so in motorsport. In recent years, we have found the Iron Dames project to be highly structured and very successful. Now that our customer teams have already celebrated victories together with the Iron Dames, we are taking the next logical step. We are very confident that the collaboration will produce outstanding results in all series and that we can underpin our contribution to the promotion of women and girls in motorsport with victories and podium finishes.”
