Gosia Rdest

Małgorzata “Gosia” Rdest is Poland’s fastest female racing driver, a businesswoman, sports journalist, and motivational speaker who’s spent over a decade proving that gender has no business determining who belongs behind the wheel.

EARLY YEARS

Born January 14, 1993, in Żyrardów, Poland, Gosia Rdest didn’t exactly grow up in a racing dynasty. Her parents had zero motorsport connections—no garage full of vintage engines, no weekends at the track. As she puts it, “Robert Kubica isn’t my family, I didn’t have a brother, so it all started with me.” What she did have was a father willing to take a chance on his daughter’s curiosity. He drove her to a karting circuit for the first time, and that was it—she was hooked immediately. Every karting session after that? Her idea, her initiative. From casual stints, she worked her way into amateur karting leagues, progressing quickly enough that by 2011, she was Polish Junior Karting Champion. The following year, BMW Motorsport came calling, scouting the reigning champion for their Formula BMW Talent Cup. Not bad for a girl whose racing career started as “a bit like a coincidence.”

OTHER INTERESTS

When she’s not racing, Rdest splits her time between the boardroom and the stage. She serves as Vice President of the Management Board at EMKA S.A., balancing business strategy with her racing calendar. She’s also a sports journalist and presenter, giving her a platform to discuss the sport from multiple angles. But perhaps her most meaningful role is as Ambassador for the Polish Automotive Children Foundation (Motoryzacja Dzieciom Foundation), where she works to inspire younger generations—especially girls—by showing them that “impossible does not exist” in motorsport. As a motivational speaker, she delivers what she calls “Power Speeches,” covering everything from transforming passion into profession to managing the delicate balance between racing, business, and family. Her advocacy extends to initiatives like FIA Girls on Track and W Series, championing the visibility of women not just as drivers, but as engineers, mechanics, and team directors.

EARLY SUCCESS

Rdest’s transition from karting to cars was swift. In 2012, fresh off her karting championship, she competed in the Formula BMW Talent Cup, finishing the final round at Oschersleben with top-10 results in all three races and 10th in the standings. The following year, she tackled a full season of BRDC Formula 4 with Douglas Motorsport, struggling to 18th overall but earning the “Who Zooms” award for most overtakes—a consolation prize that at least acknowledged her aggression. Her best finish that season was 11th at Snetterton, which wasn’t exactly lighting the world on fire, but it was experience. In 2014, she moved to the Central European Volkswagen Polo Cup, finishing 14th overall with a solid 6th-place home result at Tor Poznań. Then came three seasons in the Audi Sport TT Cup (2015–2017), where she steadily improved, reaching 6th in the championship in 2017—her best overall series result to date. That same year, she grabbed double podiums at the Hockenheimring season-opener, with second-place finishes in both races. She was learning, adapting, and getting faster.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2011: Polish Junior Karting Champion[1][2].
• 2012: Competed in Formula BMW Talent Cup, finishing 10th in standings at Oschersleben with top-10 results in all three races[1].
• 2013: Earned “Who Zooms” award for most overtakes in BRDC Formula 4[1].
• 2017: Finished 6th in Audi Sport TT Cup, her best championship result; double second-place podiums at Hockenheimring season-opener[1][3].
• 2018: Pole position and race win at Nürburgring in GT4 Central European Cup with co-driver Óscar Tunjo; 9th in GT4 International Cup with Max Hesse[1][3].
• 2018: Class win at 24 Hours of Dubai[1][3].
• 2019: Selected for inaugural W Series season[3].
• 2020: Class win at 24 Hours of Dubai; 8th in Alpine Europa Cup[1][3].
• 2021: Served as W Series reserve driver, finishing 9th in season-opener in Austria (one of three rounds); 8th in Alpine Europa Cup with podium finish at Magny-Cours[3].
• 2022: Secured sponsorship from ELF/TotalEnergies, visible on car, overalls, and helmet[4].

INSPIRATIONS

Rdest’s biggest early influence was her father, who not only introduced her to karting but remained “an inseparable part of developing her passion.” Beyond family, she credits her time in Formula 3 as foundational to her skillset. “Formula does not forgive any mistakes,” she explained. “Here I have more time for a possible counter or some other correction. You can say that the Formula has prepared me with a reserve in terms of my physical abilities and improved my reflexes, which I can use in the Alpine Elf Europa Cup racing series.” That precision, drilled into her during unforgiving single-seater racing, became the backbone of her driving style in touring and GT cars.

REPUTATION

Gosia Rdest is widely regarded as Poland’s fastest female racing driver and an icon for breaking stereotypes in a male-dominated sport. During her time in the Volkswagen Golf Cup, she was noted for her “phenomenal pace,” consistently finishing in the top 10 despite being the only female representative in the field. Media coverage has praised her as “living proof that success knows no gender limits,” celebrating her courage, determination, and willpower. She’s known for precision driving and sharp reflexes, honed in Formula 3 and applied effectively in front-wheel-drive touring cars and Alpine prototypes. Her advocacy work has amplified her standing beyond the cockpit—she’s vocal about the changing landscape for women in motorsport, crediting initiatives like W Series and FIA Girls on Track for increasing the presence of female racers, engineers, directors, and mechanics. “Motorsport is still a niche for many women,” she noted. “The situation, of course, is changing… you can increasingly meet not only women racers, but also engineers, team directors, female mechanics or holding another positions until recently considered typical male.” Her mission is simple: “My goal is to show them a living proof, a personal example, that in this aspect impossible does not exist.”

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Rdest continues to compete in the Alpine Elf Europa Cup, supported by her ongoing partnership with ELF/TotalEnergies, which began in 2022 and was reaffirmed in 2024. She’s stated she’s “fully focused on front-wheel-drive cars,” and in past interviews expressed a dream to compete in WTCC (World Touring Car Championship). With her business responsibilities at EMKA S.A., her motivational speaking engagements, and her foundation work, she’s juggling a lot—but that’s kind of her thing. As she tells audiences, balancing racing, business, and family isn’t just possible; it’s the point. Whether she makes it to WTCC or continues her steady climb through European touring and prototype racing, one thing’s clear: Gosia Rdest isn’t slowing down.

References:

Wikipedia – Gosia Rdest
Prime Speakers – Gosia Rdest Profile
Racers Behind the Helmet – Gosia Rdest
TotalEnergies Press Release – ELF Partnership with Gosia Rdest
Volkswagen Golf Cup – Q&A with Gosia Rdest