Brieana Macdonald

Brieana Macdonald is a Canadian racing driver who made her motorsports debut in 2025 with the Porsche Sprint Challenge Iberica—remarkable not just for being her first foray into international competition, but because she did it without any prior karting or testing experience.

EARLY YEARS

Before strapping into a race car, Macdonald carved her path down mountains rather than around circuits. She spent three seasons on the Ontario Ski Team, competing in alpine skiing and representing Canada in her age bracket. In 2018, she was the second-ranked Canadian skier in her division and grew up racing at Osler Bluff Ski Club[1][2]. Her trajectory on snow was impressive—until a mountain biking injury derailed her 2017-18 season. By 2019, she had been named the Mackenzie Investments Female Alpine Athlete of the Year, a nod to her grit and talent on skis[3]. But somewhere between the slopes and recovery, the spark for motorsport ignited.

OTHER INTERESTS

Information about Macdonald’s other interests beyond skiing and racing is not currently available.

EARLY SUCCESS

In 2025, Macdonald joined Monteiros Competições for her debut in the Porsche Sprint Challenge Iberica at Navarra, Spain[4][5]. She entered Round 4 as a complete rookie—no karting background, no test days, just raw determination and a steep learning curve. Her first weekend was all about survival and speed acquisition. By her second outing, she had found over 20 seconds in lap time improvement[6]. At Navarra, she started 14th overall and sixth in class, quietly proving she belonged[7]. When she returned for her second racing weekend, the progress was undeniable. In one endurance race, she took over driving duties on lap 14 and emerged as the top female driver on track once pit cycles concluded[8]. It was the kind of debut that makes people pay attention—not because of experience, but because of sheer pace and adaptability.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2025: Made motorsports debut in Porsche Sprint Challenge Iberica with Monteiros Competições at Navarra[4][5].
• 2025: Improved lap times by over 20 seconds between first and second race weekends despite no prior karting or testing experience[6].
• 2025: Emerged as top female driver on track during endurance race after taking over from co-driver João Macedo e Silva[8].
• 2019: Named Mackenzie Investments Female Alpine Athlete of the Year for alpine skiing[3].
• 2018: Second-ranked Canadian alpine skier in her age bracket[9].

INSPIRATIONS

Information about Macdonald’s inspirations is not currently available.

REPUTATION

Macdonald quickly earned a reputation for being fearless and coachable. Racing reporters noted her “remarkable improvement” and “major progress” over just two weekends[10][11]. For someone who had never turned a lap in a kart, her ability to close massive time gaps and hold her own against seasoned competitors was striking. The Porsche Sprint Challenge Iberica officials highlighted “great interest” in her debut, and she delivered[4]. Her background as an elite alpine skier likely contributed—both sports demand precision, nerve, and the ability to push limits while managing risk. She carried herself with quiet confidence, letting her lap times do the talking.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Macdonald was forced to miss the season finale of the 2025 Porsche Sprint Challenge Iberica[12], but her trajectory suggests she’s only getting started. Details about her 2026 racing plans have not yet been announced, though her rapid improvement and strong debut season suggest she’ll be back behind the wheel soon. Whether she continues in the Iberian series or explores other championships remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: she’s not done proving what a ski racer with zero karting experience can do in a Porsche.

REFERENCES

[1] Brianna Macdonald – 2020-21 – Women’s Skiing – University of New Hampshire
[2] Q&A with OST’s Brianna Macdonald – Alpine Ontario
[3] Q&A with OST’s Brianna Macdonald – Alpine Ontario
[4] Heading to Navarra for Round 4! – Porsche Sprint Challenge Iberica
[5] Female Drivers in National Sportscar Racing, After 1950
[6] Porsche Sprint Challenge Iberica: Chloe Grant dominates 991 class – Racers Behind The Helmet
[7] Porsche Sprint Challenge Iberica: Chloe Grant dominates 991 class – Racers Behind The Helmet
[8] Porsche Sprint Challenge Iberica: Chloe Grant dominates 991 class – Racers Behind The Helmet
[9] Brianna Macdonald – 2020-21 – Women’s Skiing – University of New Hampshire
[10] BLOG – Racers Behind The Helmet
[11] Grant takes class win, podiums for Camps, Sanchez and Danielsson – Racers Behind The Helmet
[12] Grant takes class win, podiums for Camps, Sanchez and Danielsson – Racers Behind The Helmet