First Women in Motorsport Conference held in Finland
Rennie Scaysbrook | August 20, 2019
The international female motorsports movement enjoyed a historic moment in Finland over August 17-18, with the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and the Federation Internationale de L’Automobile (FIA) joining together to hold the inaugural First Women in Motorsport Conference.
Attended by women from over 20 countries and all five continents including former Moto3 and current WorldSSP rider, Spain’s Maria Herrera; MotoAmerica Stock 1000 racer and Cycle News contributor, Shelina Moreda; Director of the FIM Women In Motorcycling Commission, Finland’s Nita Korhonen; and four-wheel stars in French rally legend Michele Mouton and current Alfa Romeo Formula One test driver Tatiana Calderon, the conference gave the attending ladies the chance to express their views and experiences on matters such as women empowerment, leadership, women’s role in the industry, and the future task of involving girls in motorsports.
The conference comes at a poignant time for women’s motorcycling, with the first female FIM World Champion the current WorldSSP300 number one, Spain’s Ana Carrasco.
The conference aimed to in part get more women not just competing in every form of FIM and FIA-sanctioned racing, but to open doors in every area of motorsport, from the technical, administrative, medical and commercial sides the sport relies on to exist.