German open-wheel driver Sophia Floersch has left the Indy NXT Series (the development series for IndyCar) after only the first round of the season in St. Petersburg, Florida.
Fellow open-wheel racer Liam Lawson made international headlines when he was dropped by the Red Bull F1 team after only two race weekends. But unlike, Lawson, Floersch’s exit has everything to do with a lack of money not a lack of talent.
Floersch has been an outspoken critic of ‘powderpuff’ series (where women compete separately from the men) and switched to the IndyCar ladder series where she hoped to get a fair shake on an even playing field. The 24 year-old joined the HMD Motorsports team (owned by the father of IndyCar driver David Malukas), and was paired up with Hailie Deegan, the only other woman in the IndyCar pipeline.
Despite finishing in 12th place in her first Indy NXT race, a press release from the team explained that a ‘miscommunication’ with Floersch’s sponsor has led to a premature end to her ride. Making the situation even more puzzling is the livery on Sophia’s car shows no sponsors. She pays her own way with the help of her family.
It’s unclear what truly transpired, but it is very disappointing to see one of the best female racers in the world head back to Europe strictly for budgetary reasons.
It doesn’t make sense.
One idea I read is that as a salf-funded driver, perhaps her family’s business has been suddenly impacted by the current economic situation, so her money’s dried up.
That could be true these days.
How does anyone spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a season of racing have a ‘miscommunication’ with their sponsor, that aborts the season after 1 weekend? Something doesn’t seem right.
.
But truly, I just feel bad for Sophia. She’s been through a lot. https://youtu.be/KodjMb0CpR0?si=L4xIa6p8VXODaZNd