Michelle Halder

Michelle Halder is a German touring car racer who made history as the first woman to win in both ADAC TCR Germany and continental TCR Europe, establishing herself as one of the leading female drivers on the TCR platform.

EARLY YEARS

Born July 25, 1999, in Überlingen am Bodensee, Germany, Michelle Halder grew up in a household where racing wasn’t just a hobby—it was a family affair[3][6]. Her brother Mike would become not just her sibling but her teammate, the two of them eventually competing side-by-side in multiple series across Europe. It’s the kind of racing partnership that either bonds you for life or makes family dinners incredibly awkward, and for the Halders, it seems to have worked out in their favor.

Like many racers, Halder started in karting before making the jump to single-seaters, joining the ADAC F4 championship in 2015[1]. She spent two seasons learning the ropes in Formula 4, from 2015 to 2016, before making a strategic pivot that would define her career. Instead of continuing the traditional ladder-climbing journey through open-wheel racing—a path that’s expensive, competitive, and often leads nowhere for drivers without massive backing—she switched to touring cars. Smart move. Tin-top racing offered her more opportunities to actually race, actually win, and actually make a name for herself.

OTHER INTERESTS

The research file on Michelle Halder reads like a racing resume and nothing else—no hobbies listed, no side hustles, no mention of what she does when she’s not behind the wheel. Either she’s completely devoted to racing, or she’s very good at keeping her personal life private. Given how much time touring car racing demands—especially when you’re competing in multiple series across different countries—it’s probably a bit of both.

EARLY SUCCESS

Halder made her ADAC TCR Germany debut in 2018 and immediately showed she belonged, earning two podium finishes in her first season[1]. But 2019 was when she really announced herself. Racing a Honda Civic TCR for Profi-CaR alongside her brother Mike, she took her first win in the second race at Zandvoort, becoming the first woman to win in the ADAC TCR Germany series[1][5]. It was one of those barrier-breaking moments that sounds great in press releases but means even more on the track—because she didn’t just win on a technicality or in a rain-soaked mess of a race. She was competitive, consistent, and fast.

The momentum continued into 2020 when she made a late entry into TCR Europe and was immediately competitive[1]. At the second round in Zolder, Belgium, she delivered another historic victory, becoming the first woman to win in continental TCR Europe[1]. Two years, two series, two firsts for women. Not bad for someone still in her early twenties.

In 2021, competing in TCR Spain with the family-run Halder Motorsport team, she racked up two wins and seven podiums, finishing third in the drivers’ championship[1]. By this point, she and Mike were openly talking about their sights being set on WTCR—the World Touring Car Cup—as a brother-sister team[4]. She was also in contention for the FIA WTCR Female Driver Title that year, a recognition of her status as one of the top women in global touring car racing[4].

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2018: Two podium finishes in ADAC TCR Germany[1].
• 2019: First woman to win in ADAC TCR Germany, taking victory in the second race at Zandvoort[1].
• 2020: First woman to win in continental TCR Europe, securing victory at Zolder in the second round[1].
• 2021: Two wins and seven podiums in TCR Spain, finishing third in the drivers’ championship[1].
• 2022: Five top-ten finishes in TCR Europe[1].
• 2023: Competed full season in TCR Denmark in partnership with TPR Motorsport[1].

INSPIRATIONS

The most obvious influence on Michelle Halder’s career is her brother Mike, who has been both her teammate and competitor throughout her touring car journey[1][4][5]. They’ve raced together in TCR Germany from 2019 to 2020, TCR Europe in 2020 and 2022, TCR Spain in 2021, and TCR Denmark from 2022 to 2023[1][4][5]. Racing with a sibling is a unique dynamic—there’s built-in trust, but also built-in rivalry. For the Halders, it seems to have created a support system that’s helped both of them navigate the challenges of professional racing. Beyond Mike, there’s no public record of other mentors, racing heroes, or inspirational figures who shaped her path. Sometimes the most important influence is the person in the garage next to you.

REPUTATION

Within the TCR world, Halder is recognized as one of the leading female drivers on the platform[1]. She’s earned that reputation not through hype or marketing, but through results—wins, podiums, and consistent competitiveness across multiple series. The media coverage of her career has been positive, focusing on her historic achievements and her ability to run at the front[1][4]. What stands out is how quickly she adapted when entering new series: her late 2020 entry into TCR Europe saw her immediately competitive, culminating in that breakthrough win at Zolder[1].

There’s no record of controversies, conflicts, or drama in her career. She races, she competes, she wins when the opportunity presents itself. In a sport that can sometimes feel like a soap opera, that’s refreshing. The Halder Motorsport family team setup has likely helped keep things focused—when you’re working with your brother and running your own operation, there’s less room for politics and more emphasis on performance.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

As of the most recent available information, Halder is competing in the AT2 class of the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie for Four Motors[3]. Prior to 2023, she had announced plans to compete in the TCR class in the Nürburgring Endurance Series[1], though current details on those plans aren’t documented. The 2021 goal she and Mike shared—breaking into WTCR as a brother-sister team—remains one of the more intriguing storylines in her career[4]. Whether that ambition is still active or has evolved isn’t publicly known, but given her track record of making strategic moves and breaking barriers, it wouldn’t be surprising to see her take another leap forward when the right opportunity presents itself.

References:

Michelle Halder Joins TCR Denmark for Full 2023 Campaign – Racers Behind the Helmet
Michelle Halder – Wikipedia
Michelle and Mike Halder Brother-Sister Team – Motorsport.com
TCR Germany Michelle Halder Takes Part with Profi-Car in 2020 – Racers Behind the Helmet
Michelle Halder – DriverDB