IRON DAMES Exit WEC After Historic 2023 Bahrain Win & 5 Years Reshaping Racing

November 27, 2025

• The all-female IRON DAMES project confirmed their exit from the 2026 FIA WEC grid after five groundbreaking years that fundamentally reshaped how we think about women in endurance racing. Founded by DEBORAH MAYER in 2018, the team proved their concept immediately with ELMS podiums in 2019-2020, then stepped onto the world stage in 2021 to become the series’ only all-female lineup for five straight seasons.
• The team hit their competitive peak in 2022-2023, scoring three WEC podiums including SARAH BOVY’s historic first-ever pole position for a woman in WEC, culminating in their breakthrough victory at the 2023 Bahrain finale that secured runner-up honors in the final LMGTE season. Their success spanned multiple manufacturers – Ferrari, Porsche, and Lamborghini – proving adaptability while maintaining competitive edge across different technical packages.
• While stepping away from WEC, Iron Dames emphasized this isn’t a retreat but strategic repositioning, with the organization now supporting 20 drivers across multiple disciplines from karting to Formula 4 to rally and equestrian. Recent success stories include DORIANE PIN’s F1 Academy title and LAURA VAN DEN HENGEL’s GT Cup Europe ProAm championship, demonstrating how the project has evolved from a single race program into a comprehensive talent development ecosystem.

american endurance racing, fia wec, iron dames, lmgte