Welcome to GRRL! Weekly
the fastest newsletter in women’s sports
September 16-23
This week brings potentially motorsport's biggest political shake-up in… ever, a pair of women who have tired of just the podium and have started winning instead, a young woman having her best birthday ever ruined by a boy in a Lamborghini (boys should leave the lambo driving to GRRL!s - below), a mother-daughter drag racing team that is both familiar (to moms and daughters) and pretty unique. Plus 18 young racing stars getting their shot at the big leagues
Buckle up…
🏆 THE PODIUM: P1-P3
Swiss driver LAURA VILLARS just became the first woman to run for FIA president, joining incumbent Mohammed Ben Sulayem and former F1 steward Tim Mayer in what's shaping up to be motorsport's most consequential election in ever. At 28, Laura’s bringing Formula 3 and Formula 4 racing credentials plus current Ligier European Series experience to challenge an old boys' club that's likely chuckling behind her back.
VILLARS’ platform reads like a modern dreamlist: "more democratic, more transparent, more responsible, and more open to women and new generations." VILLARS is pushing hard for enhanced Women in Motorsport programs, a FIA Young Leaders Academy, and participatory governance that actually includes the clubs and license holders who make this sport happen. Crazy, right? The December election in Tashkent, Uzbekistan just became a highlight of the racing season - because if she pulls this off, we're looking at a seismic shift in how global motorsport is governed, led by someone who actually understands racing and what it's like to not be a Boy Club member.
JEM HEPWORTH and LINDSAY BREWER finally broke through for their first Lamborghini Super Trofeo victory at Road America, ending a string of frustrating second-place finishes that had everyone wondering when these two would get the recognition they deserved. The RAFA Racing duo knew they had the pace - five podiums including three straight runner-ups don't lie - and their breakthrough win proves this all-women pairing has the speed to compete with anyone in the Am class.
Now sitting third in the championship on 82 points, they're just 17 points behind the leaders with four rounds to go. What's really working is genuine teamwork without ego - HEPWORTH brings endurance racing experience while BREWER adds fresh energy in her first sports car season. As the only all-women lineup on the grid, they understand the unique pressures of being pioneers, and that translates into mental toughness when championship pressure peaks.
TONI BREIDINGER's rumored connection to Kaulig Racing's massive five-truck Ram operation could completely flip the script on her NASCAR trajectory. While she's currently grinding through her first full-time Truck Series season with TRICON Garage, landing a factory Ram ride would be the kind of manufacturer backing that transforms careers overnight.
What makes BREIDINGER such an obvious target isn't just her racing ability - it's her social media empire. With over five million combined followers across Instagram and TikTok, she's NASCAR's most influential digital presence. Ram wants personalities who can move the needle with younger, more diverse fans. Of the rumored drivers alongside YouTuber Cleetus McFarland and ARCA points leader Brenden Queen, BREIDINGER is the only one currently competing full-time at NASCAR's national level, giving her crucial experience others lack.
🏁 IN THE POINTS:
P4: TINA & KENZIE PIERCE - This is cute and badass as hell. Mother-daughter drag racing duo dominated Motion Raceworks Mega Week, with 16-year-old KENZIE winning a heads-up shootout while mom TINA mastered Compressed Air Supercharging technology for dead-consistent 4.40-second runs that eliminate weather variables.
P5: ALEXANDRA VATEVA - Bulgarian driver secured rookie podium in ultra-competitive German Porsche Carrera Cup debut at Red Bull Ring. Iron Dames-backed VATEVA showed immediate pace against established competitors, earning F1 Academy rookie test selection.
P6: LISA BILLARD - Iron Dames-supported driver claimed back-to-back Female Trophy wins in French F4 at Ledenon while running top-15 overall. Only woman scoring championship points this season, with Alpine interest through their Rac(H)er programme.
P7: CARRIE SCHREINER - Best qualifying all season (P5 at Spielberg) got punished with 15kg BoP ballast, then taken out by reckless Lamborghini driver on her birthday.
P8: LUCIE BOUDESSEUL - French rookie claimed maiden WorldWCR podium at Magny-Cours home race, holding off championship contenders HERRERA and NEILA in final-lap drama. Hasn't finished outside top-10 since season-opening crash.
P9: DANIELLA SUTTON - BRDC Rising Star showed championship composure through Donington adversity, charging from 22nd to 15th in finale despite technical issues. Raw pace competitive with top-10 throughout weekend's chaos.
P10: MAGGIE WEBSTER & MORGAN KIDD - JRW Motorsport teammates both scored podiums in treacherous Donington conditions. WEBSTER claimed back-to-back Am podiums despite mechanical gremlins; KIDD matched career-best with wet-weather masterclass.Women are coming on fast in racing. It’s no longer a banner headline for a woman to be on the podium. It’s no longer a shock for a woman to win (though it will always be our happy place). If you don’t see it coming you’re looking the wrong way.
🏅 HONORABLE MENTION:
F1 Academy's inaugural rookie test brings together 18 carefully selected female drivers aged 15-21 at Circuito de Navarra this September, offering a direct pathway to the 2026 grid. Among the standouts: 15-year-old LISA BILLARD who's caught Alpine's attention while competing for Iron Dames in French F4, and RACHEL ROBERTSON, the Scottish driver backed by BBC's Gabby Logan. The two-day format combines six hours of track time in F1 Academy machinery with physical and cognitive assessments from More Than Equal, creating the equitable platform the series keeps talking about.
(meet the rookies in this video or in their profiles on GRRL!)
GRRL! Website Stats for the Week
GRRL! Website Stats | Added This Week | Website Total |
|---|---|---|
11 | 685 | |
56 | 1345 |
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Women's phenomenal skills have rightfully exploded women’s sports, but in motorsports women's grrit, determination, and success are largely invisible. GRRL! is here to elevate the badass women succeeding head-to-head in a “man’s world” every time they put on a helmet.