Iron Dames Transition to Global Movement by 2026
Deborah Mayer, founder of the Iron Dames initiative, announced today that the program will evolve from a competitive racing team into a broader global movement by 2026. Since its inception in 2018, Iron Dames has focused on increasing female representation in motorsport, particularly in endurance racing.
This year, however, the Swiss-based team has scaled back its direct involvement in competitions, withdrawing from the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC), the European Le Mans Series (ELMS), the Le Mans Cup, and IMSA events. Instead, the initiative aims to support individual drivers in their pursuit of excellence across various motorsport disciplines, including endurance racing, single-seaters, rallying, and karting.
Mayer emphasized the core belief behind Iron Dames: “Excellence has no gender and performance always speaks the truth.” She noted that the program has transcended mere competition, evolving into a mindset that promotes ambition and challenges societal norms around gender in sport.
“The foundation is built to carry more,” Mayer stated, articulating her vision for Iron Dames as a movement that integrates performance with broader societal impact. The initiative has previously engaged in collaborations with organizations such as NASA and Oxford University and plans to expand its reach beyond traditional motorsport.
Future announcements are expected to provide more details about this transition. While the program currently shifts focus, there remains the possibility of Iron Dames returning to competitive racing by 2027.
As Mayer concluded, “This is our next step. And we are only getting started.”
