WEC: FIA Women in Motorsport protégés set for Bahrain Rookie Test outings

Two female racing drivers supported by the FIA Women in Motorsport Commission, Doriane Pin and Lilou Wadoux, have been nominated by the FIA World Endurance Championship organisation to take part in the traditional end of season Rookie Test.

FIA Girls on Track – Rising Stars programme finalist, Pin, joined Iron Dames stable last year and ever since has competed in various series aboard the team’s GT cars. She made her FIA WEC debut earlier this year aboard the #85 Iron Dames Ferrari LMGTE Am entry, along with IMSA racer Christina Nielsen, subbing in for the car’s regular drivers Sarah Bovy and Michelle Gatting and joining Rachel Frey in the line-up.

21-year-old Wadoux is set to become the first-ever female racer to test FIA WEC’s Hypercar machinery, while three years her junior Pin will have her first taste of an LMP2-class prototype.

Wadoux, an FIA WEC regular this season with LMP2 squad Richard Mille Racing, is set for her second outing in the test, having ran with the outfit last season, prior to her graduation to a full-time seat.

As for today Pin and Wadoux make 50% test’s line-up, with two other nominated drivers being Prema Racing LMP2 regular Lorenzo Colombo (LMGTE Pro) and 17-year-old Finn Gehrsitz (LM GTE Am) who is active European as well as Asian Le Mans Series this season.

The quartet is set to drive the 2022 title-winning cars in their respective categories, meaning that Wadoux will drive either a Toyota Gazoo Racing Toyota GR010 – Hybrid or the Alpine Elf Team Alpine A480, while Pin will slot behind the wheel of an Oreca 07-Gibson field by the team that will finish the season atop the LMP2 standings.

First introduced in 2015, the annual official post-season Rookie Test traditionally takes place the day after the season-concluding event.

Deborah Mayer, FIA World Endurance Commission President, said: “Having two female racers nominated for the official FIA World Endurance Championship Rookie Test is fantastic news. In terms of women participation in motor sport the FIA WEC is once again breaking new grounds. It was in this championship where we could witness two all-female line-ups competing full-time in any FIA World Championship for the first time, and now, we’re set to have a woman testing a car that belongs to the top class of endurance racing. This is an immensely proud moment for the whole commission that proves that our work serves the right cause. I wish the best to Doriane and Lilou for this important step in their promising careers.”

Frédéric Lequien, FIA WEC CEO, said: “FIA World Endurance Championship has a pool of tremendously talented drivers so to be chosen, Lilou, Lorenzo, Doriane, Finn have been measured against the best as rookies. The Rookie Test is a tremendous opportunity for these drivers to have a genuine track test in the car that will have won the championship in their category just the day before. This test is part of the FIA WEC Sporting Regulations as we strive to push young talent in our discipline and we have seen how beneficial this test can be for the careers of young drivers previously. We look forward to seeing all four drivers out in action in Bahrain.”

Doriane Pin, Iron Dame driver, said: “I’m delighted that as part of the Iron Dames I have been selected by FIA WEC to test an LMP2 car at the end of the season in Bahrain for the Rookie Test. So far it has been a great season for me and I’m very excited to try out a car I’ve never driven before. It is really important to demonstrate to young women like me that they can have a career in motorsport, and that if you have a dream and you are prepared to work hard, your dreams can come true. The LMP2 car is a completely different beast to the GT cars I’ve driven so far! And it is vital for young talent to gain as much experience in different types of race cars. I am very grateful to FIA WEC and would like to thank them for this opportunity!”

Lilou Wadoux, FIA WEC Richard Mille Racing LMP2 driver, said: “I am very happy to have been selected. Just a year ago, I took part in the Bahrain Rookie Test in LMP2 with Richard Mille, while I was racing in the Alpine Elf Europa Cup. It was a big step in my career because I suddenly found myself driving a prototype. I learned a lot and now I have a new opportunity with a new test, but this time at the steering wheel of a Hypercar. It’s a dream come true and I’m delighted. On a personal level, I am proud to show that women can reach the highest level of motorsport. I hope that my example will inspire young girls to follow this path.”