Girls On Gravel at FIA European Rallycross Mondello Park
Ahead of the FIA Rallycross Championship at Mondello Park, Girls On Gravel was an unforgettable event designed to inspire, connect and empower the next generation of women in motorsport. Organised by Motorsport Ireland Women In Motorsport Commission and Sport Development Officer Kelsey Kirby in collaboration with Mondello Park’s Pauline McFerran, the day was a huge success.
Bringing together girls from a range of motorsport disciplines, the day offered a unique opportunity to hear from some of the most accomplished women working at the highest levels of the sport, while also providing exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the FIA Rallycross Championship. We had girls from karting, rallycross, circuit racing, marshalling and girls studying STEM based courses in college and university join us for the day!
The event began with an inspiring panel discussion featuring an exceptional lineup of speakers whose careers span engineering, officiating, medicine, media and professional racing. The panel offered honest insights into the challenges they have faced, the opportunities they have embraced, and the importance of perseverance, resilience and believing in your abilities. From technical careers behind the scenes to leadership roles at the very top of international motorsport, the speakers demonstrated that there is no single path into the industry and encouraged the girls to pursue their ambitions with confidence.
The panel included:
Motorsport Ireland Steward Richa Mergulhao who will be working as an Official at the Hungarian Formula 1 weekend (July 25th-26th). Richa was selected to join the FIA High Performance Programme (HPP) which is a specialised training pathway designed to prepare top officiating talent – Stewards and Race Directors – for roles at the highest levels of international competition. Organised under FIA University and aligned with the Stewards and Race Director Pathway, the HPP serves as a professional finishing school for those seeking to work on FIA World Championships and other major motor sport series. Richa spoke to us about how her role has changed her in a positive way and gave her more confidence to speak her mind more. Watching her come out of her shell has been amazing to watch! Richa is also a member of the Women In Motorsport Commission who work towards bringing more women and girls into all areas of motorsport.
Multiple champion racing driver Nicole Drought spoke about her career and gave advice for all those wanting to move up the racing ranks. Nicole had only returned from driving up the hill in the world-famous Goodwood Festival of Speed in a NASCAR from the Martin Birrane collection. Having previously driven 2 Formula 1 cars, winning the Open Clubman Rallycross Championship twice, won the MSV TDC Championship in 2024 and currently racing in the Iberian Supercar Series in a Porsche GT4, among many other accolades she is a role model for all girls involved in motorsport. It goes to show that hard work and perseverance pays off in motorsport!
Former Aston Martin Formula 1 engineer Sosanna Ní Dhubháin, who worked as the Lead Composite Design Engineer and Reliability Engineer through many iterations of the F1 team travelled down to speak to the girls about her career and her hopes for the future of motorsport. Suzy worked as the Lead Brake Duct Engineer which is a hugely important part of the car and was one of her favourite parts of her job. Starting out in her career, Suzy was the only woman in the design office and as the years have gone on, more and more women have started joining the engineering teams which is a great shift in the sport. While progress continues to be made, there is still work to do and Suzy encouraged the girls to get involved in the STEM side of the sport and be comfortable pushing those boundaries as it could lead to them working in a Formula 1 team one day.
FIA Media Delegate & Coordinator Giulia Martorana spoke about her path to becoming involved in the media side of Motorsport with the FIA. From a young age Giulia was a big motorsport fan but was not looking to be a competitive driver, however, she learned about other opportunities within the sport. After achieving a 1st Class Honours MA in Public Relations, Giulia applied for the job opening of FIA Sport Communications Coordinator and Rallycross Media Delegate. 4 months into the job and she is thriving in her role. A hugely important part of motorsport is the content and communications that go to the public, this is what Giulia is responsible for. These roles are what make sure motorsport is visible to the public and fans get accurate communications in real time. Giulia showed the importance of these careers and how these girls can get involved away from the driver’s seat.
FIA Medical Delegate Dr. Anna Carrera, who made history as Scuderia Ferrari's first-ever female doctor, shared her inspirational journey in motorsport. From being brought along to her first ever motorsport event where a rider lost his temper and threw his helmet at her, she brought us on her road to being a Medical Delegate for FIA Rallycross events. Dr. Anna works as an Orthopaedic Trauma Surgeon in Barcelona which is a very intense job. Also a member on the FIA Medical Commission and to be Scuderia Ferrari’s first ever female doctor is so inspiring. Having encountered moments when her place in motorsport was questioned, she stayed true to herself during every step of the way. Her main message to the girls was “Never change who you are, stay true to yourself and work hard”.
Following the panel, attendees were given an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the FIA's operational areas, including the opportunity to step inside Race Control and gain an understanding of how races are managed from the championship's most important location.
The experience continued in the paddock, where teams warmly welcomed the group into their garages. The girls were able to watch the cars being prepared for competition, speak with drivers, engineers and team principals, and gain first-hand insight into the teamwork, preparation and precision required to compete at the highest level of rallycross.
These conversations proved to be one of the highlights of the day, allowing attendees to ask questions, learn about different career pathways and see the many roles that contribute to a successful race weekend.
The event also opened the door to one particularly exciting opportunity for one participant. One of the highlight moments of the day came when 15-year-old kart racer Lily-Rose Hughes was offered an incredible opportunity by Andreas Bakkerud (who would later go on to be crowned the overall winner of the event). Andreas invited Lily-Rose to join his team for the weekend, working alongside them on their social media coverage throughout the FIA Rallycross Championship Irish round. It was a fantastic opportunity for a young girl coming through the ranks of motorsport to gain first-hand experience with a professional international team. The gesture perfectly captured what the day was all about! Creating opportunities, opening doors, and supporting the next generation. We were absolutely delighted to see a top-tier driver invest his time in helping an aspiring young talent gain invaluable experience at the highest level of the sport.
As the day drew to a close, everyone came together over pizza to reflect on the experiences they had shared. It was a wonderful chance for girls from different motorsport backgrounds to meet one another, exchange stories, build friendships and strengthen a growing network of women supporting women within the sport.
Events like these are about far more than a single day at the racetrack. They are about creating opportunities, building confidence, breaking down barriers and showing young women that they belong in every area of motorsport whether that's behind the wheel, in the garage, in race control, in the media centre or leading the sport's future.
Motorsport Ireland would like to extend its sincere thanks to everyone who helped make the event such a success. Special thanks go to Pauline McFerran, whose dedication and hard work were instrumental in bringing the day together, and to the Women in Motorsport Commission for their continued support and commitment to creating opportunities for women across the sport.
We would also like to thank Sport Ireland and Motorsport Ireland President Aiden Harper for attending the event and for supporting initiatives that encourage and inspire the next generation of women in motorsport.
Most importantly, thank you to every girl who attended. Your enthusiasm, curiosity and passion for motorsport made the day truly special.
We look forward to organising and creating further opportunities for more girls and women to get involved in all areas of motorsport in the future.
~Written by Kelsey Kirby, Sport Development Officer, Motorsport Ireland
