Women in Motorsport

In Mexico, the organization that represents the highest authority in motor racing in the country is led by a woman. Nathalie Moutet is the current Secretary-General of the Mexican Organization for International Motorsport (OMDAI), the only representation of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) in Mexico.

"We work hand in hand with the Mexican National Federation. We sanction international events, from karting events to Formula 1. We also train officials and volunteers," Moutet explains in an interview with Mente Mujer.

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"We have been working on this issue for over 10 years," Nathalie emphasizes when asked about the increasing presence of women in the world of motorsport.

"Obviously, we have made significant progress, although the road is long to achieve complete equality and equitable participation of women in the sport." The strategy employed by OMDAI to promote women's presence in this industry has been to start "in the areas where we had more immediate opportunities," meaning areas related to administration.

"We have many women working in our offices. We have also worked closely with the Mexican Federation of Motor Sports (FEMADAC) on the issue of women's participation within our group of officials and volunteers, and of course, among the drivers," she assures.

Regarding figures, Moutet states that, in the case of officials, the participation of women has increased from 20 percent to 35 percent; in medical areas, female participation has reached up to 40 percent.

"What matters more to me than the numbers is offering the women within our system opportunities for growth," says Nathalie, noting that more and more women are occupying director and head of department positions. In addition to internal support, OMDAI offers programs to inspire interest in young women and girls looking to enter this field.

"The most famous program, and probably you have heard of it, is called Girls on Track, which we launched in Mexico for the first time during the 2019 Formula E," Moutet shared about this program, which aims to offer a wide range of opportunities for girls interested in motorsport.

These Women Are Leading Figures in Female Motorsport

• Dana Ruz

"When I started, I was the only one. Now we see more women in go-karts and various categories, one or two within the top ten, for example. We are few, but those who dare are indeed good."

• Constanza Blanco

Constanza Blanco's passion for motorsport emerged at the age of five when she discovered go-karts. However, her path in this world has developed off the racetrack, from the engineering front.

It should be noted that motorsport is not limited to drivers alone; behind every racer, there is a great team that ranges from marketing personnel to engineers who inspect the cars before and during the races.

• Alexandra Mohnhaupt

Alexandra Mohnhaupt made history in motorsport when in 2018 she became the first woman internationally to win a Formula 4 race at the Miguel E. Abed Autodrome.

"Unfortunately, we still live in a world where society does not accept that women can also be in motorsport," she asserts. However, Alexandra continued to face various challenges.

Discover their stories through the Mente Mujer supplement.