Desiré Wilson
Formula racing // Brakpan, South Africa
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Desiré Wilson, born in South Africa, started racing at 5 in micro-midget cars. She won the South African FF1600 title in 1976 and made history in 1980 by becoming the first woman to win a Formula 1 race at Brands Hatch.
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FULL BIO: Desiré Wilson
Desiré Wilson is the first and only woman to win a Formula 1 race, achieving this historic milestone at Brands Hatch in the 1980 Aurora British F1 Championship while driving for Teddy Yip’s Theodore Racing team.
EARLY YEARS
Born on November 26, 1953, in Brakpan, South Africa, Desiré Randall Wilson was introduced to motorsports at an early age through her father, Charlie Randall, a national motorcycle champion. By age five, she was already racing micro-midgets on dirt tracks against older boys, and at twelve, she finished second in the South African Micro-Midget Championships before temporarily leaving racing to focus on athletics.
EARLY SUCCESS
Wilson’s formal racing career began at age twelve in 1967 when she finished second in the South African nationals driving midget cars. By 1972, she had made her full racing debut in the South African Formula Vee Championship, finishing fourth in her first season and second in subsequent seasons. Her breakthrough came in 1975 when she won the South African Formula Ford Championship, becoming the first woman to win a national racing championship in South Africa, and successfully defended her title the following year.
NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS
- 1975: First woman to win a Formula Ford race and the South African Formula Ford Championship[4].
- 1976: Won the “Driver to Europe” scholarship and successfully defended her Formula Ford championship title[1][4].
- 1978: Achieved third position finish at Thruxton in the British F1 Championship with Mario Deliotti’s Ensign N175-Ford[1].
- 1980: Won Formula 1 race at Brands Hatch in the Aurora British F1 Championship with Teddy Yip’s Wolf WR4-Ford, becoming the first and only woman to win a Formula 1 race[1][4][5].
- 1980: Won World Sportscar Championship races at Monza (1000km) and Silverstone (6 hours) as Alain de Cadenet’s co-driver[1][2].
- 1983-1984: Participated in Champ Cars with Wysard Racing, achieving a tenth place finish in Cleveland as her best result[1].
REPUTATION
Wilson is renowned as one of the most accomplished female racing drivers in motorsports history. Her fearless aggression and technical skill allowed her to compete successfully across multiple racing categories. With an FIA Super Licence and CART IndyCar certification, she has been celebrated for breaking barriers and challenging gender stereotypes throughout her 58-year career. Her win at Brands Hatch solidified her reputation as a pioneering figure who paved the way for future generations of female racers.
FUTURE GOALS/PLANS
Although now retired from active racing, Desiré remains a strong advocate for women in motorsport. She has expressed her belief that another woman will soon join her as a Formula 1 race winner and continues to support initiatives that promote female participation in racing, including presenting trophies at women’s racing events like the W Series.
References:
F1 Forgotten Drivers – Desiré Wilson
Wilson Motorsport – Racing Career
Motorsport Magazine – Desiré Wilson
Silverstone Museum – Desiré Wilson: Formula 1’s Trailblazing Driver
Grand Prix 247 – Desiré Wilson: Women are stronger mentally than men
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