Divina Galicia
Formula racer
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(last updated November 25, 2025
Divina Galica blazed a trail as the first British woman to enter a Formula 1 World Championship race, but her path to motorsports began on snow-covered Olympic slopes rather than racetracks.
EARLY YEARS
Born on August 13, 1944, in London, England, Mary Divina Galica would become one of Britain’s most groundbreaking athletes across two completely different sports. While details about her childhood and family background remain largely private, what’s clear is that this London-born girl would eventually captain Olympic ski teams and break barriers in Formula 1—a combination that sounds like fiction but is absolutely fact.
OTHER INTERESTS
Before she ever thought about racing cars, Divina was flying down mountains at Olympic speeds. Alpine skiing consumed her athletic life through her twenties, representing Great Britain in four consecutive Winter Olympics from 1964 to 1976. She captained the British Women’s Olympic Ski Team in both 1968 and 1972, leading her teammates through the pressure-cooker environment of international competition. The mental toughness, split-second reflexes, and fearless approach to speed she developed on the slopes would prove invaluable when she later strapped herself into Formula 1 cars. Her Olympic career spanned over a decade, giving her a master class in competing at the highest levels of sport while being one of the few women in a demanding, dangerous discipline.
EARLY SUCCESS
Divina’s transition from Olympic skier to racing driver happened in her late twenties—an age when most athletes are considering retirement, not career changes. Starting with karting in the early 1970s, she quickly progressed through Formula 2 before setting her sights on the ultimate prize: Formula 1. Her skiing background gave her unique advantages in motorsports—the ability to process information at high speeds, maintain composure under extreme pressure, and push physical limits that would intimidate most people. While she never achieved race wins, her very presence in these series was a victory in itself, opening doors that had been firmly shut to women in motorsports.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
- 1964-1976: Competed in four consecutive Winter Olympics as an alpine skier representing Great Britain[1].
- 1968: Captained the British Women’s Olympic Ski Team[1].
- 1972: Again captained the British Women’s Olympic Ski Team[1].
- 1976: Became the first British woman to enter a Formula 1 World Championship race at the British Grand Prix, driving for Surtees[1].
- 1978: Attempted to qualify for the Argentine and Brazilian Grands Prix with Hesketh[1].
- Awarded MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for services to sport[1].
INSPIRATIONS
While specific influences and mentors from Divina’s career remain undocumented, her journey suggests she was driven by her own internal compass rather than following in anyone else’s footsteps. Her willingness to switch from Olympic skiing to Formula 1 racing indicates someone motivated by personal challenge rather than external expectations—a pioneer who carved her own path rather than following established routes.
REPUTATION
Galica is remembered as a trailblazer who opened doors for future generations of women in motorsports. Her reputation rests not on lap times or championship points, but on her courage to compete where women simply weren’t welcome. The media often treated her as a curiosity—a female Olympic skier trying to race Formula 1 cars—but her persistence and professionalism earned respect from those who understood what she was attempting. She proved that women could handle the physical and mental demands of top-level motorsports, even if the machinery and opportunities of the 1970s didn’t allow her to demonstrate her full potential. Her dual achievement as both an Olympian and Formula 1 entrant remains unique in sports history.
FUTURE GOALS/PLANS
Having effectively retired from competitive racing, Divina’s current activities and future plans remain private. At 80 years old, her racing days are behind her, but her legacy as a pioneer continues to inspire women entering motorsports today.
