After six years since its founding in 2018, the Iron Dames project has undeniably led the way for nurturing and promoting female racing drivers, not just in sportscar racing, but across motorsport.
The team have competed in the past six editions of the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans with all-female driving crews, and do not intend to stop any time soon.
During these instances, their iconic pink liveries adorned Ferrari and Porsche LM GTE machinery, as well as a Lamborghini Huracan LMGT3 EVO2 earlier this year.
Now, the entire project has separated from its parent team, Iron Lynx, which provided most of the technical support up to this point. Instead, it has partnered with Porsche.
A spokesperson said: 'Iron Dames is now an independent brand that operates autonomously under the umbrella of DCRS (DC Racing Solutions) and has no direct affiliation with Iron Lynx.
'Joining forces with Porsche represents a new chapter, with Iron Dames competing in several international endurance racing championships in partnership with Porsche Motorsport.
'The racing operations are being conducted in collaboration with expert Porsche-affiliated teams, such as Proton Competition and Manthey.
'Iron Dames x Porsche also combines both brands’ shared values and mission to inspire and develop the next generation of female racers."
The exponential growth of the Iron Dames
During the 2024 sportscar season, the Iron Dames competed in five GT3 championships globally.
This included the FIA World Endurance Championship, SRO's GT World Challenge Europe, the endurance rounds of IMSA's SportsCar Championship, plus the European Le Mans Series (ELMS) and its support series, Le Mans Cup (LMC).
The Iron Dames are more present than ever, making the project a prominent force in elevating and spotlighting female talent behind the wheel.
For 2024 alone, they brought on eight new drivers across rally, sportscars and karting disciplines.
Rahel Frey and Michelle Gatting are two of the most recognised amongst the Dames, for their commitment to the programme since they entered Le Mans in 2019 with Manuela Gostner, in partnership with Kessel Racing.
The results from 2024 have proved disappointing, not matching up to the Dames' Bronze-cup 24 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps victory in 2022.
Phil Oakley
Lamborghinis were fielded in all but the ELMS where they partnered with Proton Competition and Porsche. They actually had the most success in the European championship, taking a win in Imola and a further second place at the season finale in Portimao, finishing fourth in the championship.
Expecting change with 'Iron Dames x Porsche'
Manthey commanded the 2024 WEC season in the LMGT3 category, winning four out of eight races and both the LMGT3 drivers and teams championships.
This, then, gives the new-look Iron Dames squad a great base for a championship challenge in 2025.
Unsurprisingly, they're looking to turn over a new, fresh page in 2025, with big things expected from the collaboration with Porsche, Manthey and Proton.
'I’m thrilled to be staying with the Iron Dames for 2025 with Manthey,' said Rahal Frey, who was speaking to the official WEC news website.
'Their enormous experience will take us to the next level and it will be great to be driving the #85 Porsche again in FIA WEC.
'We have already started working together, and it feels great. I welcome Célia [Martin] to our line-up, too. I’m excited to see what step she can take. Let’s get it started!”
And her teammate Michelle Gatting echoed her Swiss co-drivers words, saying, 'I’m super-happy to be back in FIA WEC next year and to be competing in my seventh 24 Hours of Le Mans.'
'Besides that, we will be back with Porsche in without doubt the most well-known and respected team in the paddock – Manthey.
'It’s a huge step for the Iron Dames initiative, and I cannot wait to see what we can do.'
In the 2024 WEC season, reliability woes denied podium or race-winning results in the Lamborghini, though it certainly demonstrated pace.
Owing to the fact Manthey also won Le Mans, the Dames now have a decent chance of surpassing their best result at Le Mans, a fourth-placed finish in 2023. That said, the 2024 result of fifth in the endurance classic was a rare highlight in a tough year.
And, the project's aims of elevating female racing drivers into the higher echelons of motorsport, typically dominated by men, are slowly coming to fruition.
Sarah Bovy has utilised the Dames project to further her career and become an FIA Silver-graded driver.
And Gatting is now paid and contracted under Porsche as an official driver — a huge step up for her racing career.
A spotlight shines on a new name
Célia Martin, one of their new drivers from the 2024 LMC, is taking on the spotlight at the upcoming Asian Le Mans Series (AsLMS), ELMS, WEC and IMSA championships at the very least.
In an interview with Motorsport Week, she described how the Dames project made 'her dream come true'.
Part of the Dames initiative includes nurturing the drivers against all of their challenges and Martin is undoubtedly set for the most challenging racing season in her career.
Bovy, who Martin will replace in the Iron Dames WEC squad as the team's new bronze-rated driver has been an unquestionable force for the Iron Dames in qualifying.
However, with Bovy not racing for the team in WEC this year, Martin will step up to the plate as the new Iron Dames qualifying driver. However, LMGT3 qualifying and Hyperpole has been tweaked for 2025, which will see the bronze-rated driver behind the wheel in the first session. The silver driver, in this case Frey, will then take over for Hyperpole.
Bovy is still an Iron Dame and will team up with Martin and Gatting for their AsLMS campaign, which will close off the Dames' sportscar season for 2024.
The two four-hour races at Sepang will serve as the perfect prelude for Martin's step up to one of the highest profile teams that Iron Dames fields, plus preparing her for the spotlight of a world championship next year.
Download The Racing Line, your personalised motorsport calendar, on iOS today to get up to date session times and customisable notifications for over 100 different series, including single seaters, sportscars, rally, bikes, and much more.