DESIRÉ WILSON Beats the Boys at Brands Hatch in Historic Aurora Series Win

November 26, 2025

• DESIRÉ WILSON made history at Brands Hatch by winning the Aurora series race, becoming the first woman to beat a field of male competitors to the checkered flag in a major open-wheel series – a feat that still stands as one of the most significant achievements in women’s motorsport.
• Her path to that groundbreaking moment started in South Africa at age 12, where she cut her teeth in midgets before dominating the South African Formula Ford Championship and earning the coveted “Driver to Europe” award for 1977, launching her international racing career.
• Following her Aurora triumph in 1980, WILSON earned a shot at the British Grand Prix later that year with Williams FW07 machinery, though she ultimately failed to qualify – a reminder of just how steep the mountain was for women trying to break into F1’s elite ranks.

aurora series, brands hatch, deb williams, formula ford