Lella Lombardi: Pioneering Woman in Formula 1
The 1975 Formula 1 season is best remembered for Niki Lauda’s dominance with Ferrari, culminating in his first world championship. However, a significant milestone was achieved that year: Lella Lombardi became the first woman to score points in a Formula 1 race.
Lombardi’s journey in motorsports began as a delivery driver for her family’s butcher business. After transitioning from karting to Formula 3 in 1968 and competing in European F5000 by 1974, she secured a spot with March Engineering for the 1975 season. Her first notable achievement came at the third race in South Africa, where she qualified for a Grand Prix—a feat not accomplished by a woman since Maria Teresa de Filippis in 1958, although she retired early due to a fuel system failure.
Her historic points finish occurred at the Spanish Grand Prix on the Montjuïc street circuit. The race, plagued by incidents and resulting in the tragic deaths of two journalists and a spectator, was cut short to 29 laps. Lombardi, starting from 24th position, maneuvered through chaos to finish sixth, earning half a point, as only half points were awarded due to the shortened race.
This sixth-place finish remains Lombardi’s best result in Formula 1; she narrowly missed clinching another point with a seventh-place finish at the German GP later that season. After her time with March, Lombardi briefly raced for RAM Racing before shifting her focus to other motorsport disciplines, including a stint in NASCAR in 1977.
Lombardi found greater success in endurance racing, securing victories at six-hour events at Pergusa and Vallelunga in 1979. Following her retirement, she founded the Lombardi Autosport race team and served as its manager.
Lella Lombardi passed away in 1992 at the age of 50 due to breast cancer, but her legacy continues to inspire the next generation of female racers. Initiatives like the F1 Academy are dedicated to increasing opportunities for women in motorsports, echoing Lombardi’s groundbreaking achievements in the sport.
