Women In Motorsport- Podiums and history-making results!
It was a hugely successful weekend for Irish women in motorsport, with standout performances across a variety of disciplines.
Photo by- als photography
Leah McManus and her signature orange R53 Mini Cooper competed in the 5 Nations BRX event at Pembrey, Wales, where she was defending her BTRDA BMW Mini Championship title. By the end of the weekend, she had claimed two second-place finishes and two hard-fought victories. Unfortunately, her win in Sunday’s final was later rescinded following a penalty. Despite the setback, the strong results extended her championship lead with just one round remaining.
“I really enjoyed getting to learn and drive a new track. This weekend extended my championship lead with only one round left!” said Leah, who heads into the season finale at Lydden Hill on 7-8 November full of confidence.
Roisín Sweeney secured a second place finish and a race win in the Formula Sheane Championship at Kirkistown, making history as the first female driver to win a Formula Sheane race since the class was established over 20 years ago.
Having transitioned from a successful karting career to car racing just two years ago, Roisín is enjoying her first season in the Formula Sheane category.
Following these impressive results and a history-making victory, we are excited to see what she can achieve next.
Meanwhile, in Spain, Nicole Drought was in action at Circuit Ricardo Tormo for the latest round of the Iberian Supercars Endurance Championship. Competing alongside Lucas Fothergill, the pair finished second in the GTX Am class on both race days.
The result means Drought and Fothergill continue to lead the championship standings ahead of the next round in Jerez on 6-8 November.
The Cork 20 Rally, the final round of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, showcased strong female representation across multiple categories. Catherine Walsh and Ava O'Driscoll delivered an impressive performance in the Junior section, climbing from 5th place to finish 2nd overall, securing maximum championship points and taking the lead in the Southern 4 Rally Championship.
Women claimed two of the three Junior podium positions, with Sophie Byrnes, co-driving for Darragh Mullins, finishing 3rd overall.
In the Historic class, Grace Walsh enjoyed a successful event alongside her father, Peadar Walsh. Strong performances also came from co-drivers Avarina Jeffreys, Megan Costello, and Natasha Murphy, who all helped their crews navigate the demanding stages.
The Women in Motorsport Commission would like to wish all the competitors a huge congratulations on their achievements over the weekend!