Some people remember the 1975 Formula 1 season because of Niki Lauda winning his first World Championship. The other memorable event was Lella Lombardi becoming the first and only woman to earn a world championship points finish. At the Spanish Grand Prix that year, she was awarded ½ a point.
Young Lella was daughter of a butcher, and initially worked as a delivery driver for the family business. After karting, Lombardi made her way through Formula 3 in 1968, F5000 in 1974, and attempted Formula 1 in 1975. She raced a March-Ford at the 1975 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami, and actually qualified for the race (the first woman since Maria Teresa de Filippis qualified in 1958).
Formula 1 has some weird rules, and back in the ’70s, points were only awarded to the top-six finishers. Also, if a race was shortened (due to weather or spectators being killed) only half-points were awarded; 4.5 points for the win, 3 points for runner-up, 2 points for finishing third. The chaotic Spanish Grand Prix saw Lombardi moved up from her 24th-place to finish in 6th place, attributable in equal parts to attrition and driving skill.
It’s been 50 years exactly since the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix and Lombardi’s half point is remains the only Formula 1 World Championship points a woman has ever scored.
Sadly, that was also the high-point of Lombardi’s open-wheel racing career. She remained in Formula 1 in 1976. tried NASCAR in 1977 (competing in the Firecracker 400 at Daytona) then really hit her stride in sports car racing, winning six-hour endurance races at Pergusa and Vallelunga in 1979.
Last week, news about open-wheel racer Katherine Legge receiving derogatory, sexist insults after a NASCAR race got international attention. For any road-racing elitists who think their discipline is better than those yahoos in stock-cars, think about this.
- In 75 years of Formula 1 racing, only 5 women have every participated in Formula 1. Furthermore, only 2 of them actually got to compete in races..
- Maria Teresa de Filippis: The daughter of an Italian count and a Spanish noblewoman, in 1958 de Filippis was the first woman to compete in a Formula 1 Grand Prix.
- Lella Lombardi: The only woman every to score a world championship point, in 1976.She is also the last woman to compete in a Grand Prix.
- Divina Galica: Attempted Formula 1 in 1976 & 1978, but was unable to qualify for races.
- Desiré Wilson: Attempted Formula 1 in 1980 & 1982, but was unable to qualify for races.
- Giovanna Amati: Attempted F1 in 1992, but was unable to qualify.
- Susie Wolff: The wife of Mercedes F1 head-honcho Toto Wolf, Susie did not actually get to race, but participated in a practice session at the 2014 British Grand Prix.
With the exception of NHRA Drag Racing, all the motorsports disciplines have a sexist attitude against woman in racing. It’s unfathomable that in the 50 years since Lella Lombardi, not a single woman has been good enough to compete in Formula 1.
Maybe the ‘powers that be‘ simply do not want women competing, and will never allow them the opportunity or equipment to have a fair shot at the brass ring.
Do they just ignore the standards, or do they just have wiggle room? Focus should be on the racing, not the gender of the driver.
Seems that none of today’s F1 teams are even willing to give a woman a fair chance, irrespective of her previous results. You figure one of the financially struggling teams would hire the best female racer in the world, because it would be worth millions kn sponsorship.
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I think the racing world is prejudiced against women.
Maybe it’s driven by sponsorships (or the lack thereof)?
I thought about that too. But if a female racer was going to jump into F1, I’m certain there are companies who would attach themselves to the initiative (I believe it’s called pink-washing).
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Even if the driver wasn’t front of the grid, it would inspire legions of young women that they could do the same.
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Sponsorship or not, something has to change in the next 50 years!
Within the next 50 years!? Now slow down there, champ. Change takes time.
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Oh… that’s sad. True, but sad.
What a coincidence!!! A couple of weeks ago, I was watching an excellent video about the 1975 Spanish GP, and that was the first time I heard the name Lella Lombardi and her achievement.
This is the video, a real Formula One history lesson:
https://youtu.be/xjBQuuL96jg?si=JaraxKx_x-CYZai7
Thanks for the link…I’m going to check this out now. I heard that ’75 Spanish Grand Prix was a deadly nightmare.
Your post is also a motorsport lesson; thanks for sharing all the info, Chris.
Isn’t it sad, Rubens? Like, how is it possible that in 50 years not a single woman has been put in an F1 car to show the world what female racers can do?
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This is why I dislike ‘women’s only’ series like the F1 Academy or the old W Series. It’s gist girl vs. girl. I want to see top drivers against top drivers.