Finally! A list of the best female race car drivers of all time

Since car racing was introduced, most people thought it was more of a man's game. However, today, thousands of female race car drivers have emerged and seemingly know their way around those steering wheels like it was nobody's business. For that reason, several inquiries have been made regarding some of the best female race car drivers of all time.

It is more of an aspect that a century ago, motorsport was a male-dominated sport ever since the inception of automobiles. But this is the 21st century, and as the saying goes, what a man can do, a woman can do twice as better. This, among other concepts, attests to the phrase.

The best female race car drivers of all time

And while some would speculate a woman's job to be a homemaker, these beings can be good even in other extra-curricular activities such as car racing. Today, unlike years back, some women are big-time car enthusiasts and often take pride in owning some of the best wheels.

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According to the most recent data analysis, the following women have become a threat in the racing world due to their undeniable robustness around those steering wheels. Additionally, some of them have begun to threaten some of the best male racers on the scene.

10. Simona de Silvestro

The five-time Indy 500 starter claims a top finish of the 14 on the prestigious 2.5-mile oval. She competed alongside other car racers like Janet Guthrie, Lyn St. James, Sarah Fisher, and Milka Duno and made 68 IndyCar Series through 2020.

Since 2019, she has become a test pilot with Porsche's famous games vehicle program. Today, Simona is not only categorised among the best female racers in the world but also among the most beautiful female race car driver.

9. Katherine Legge

Katherine debuted on the racing scene in 2001 and later emerged from British Formula Three. After which, she graduated to the Atlantic Championship and succeeded at Long Beach, California, in her initial years.

From 2006/7, she drove in the Champ Car Series. Thanks to her incredible performances, she ultimately joined sports cars, and within no time, she began by making seven starts in the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona. She is also known for making four NASCAR Xfinity Series starts in 2018, with a top finish of 14 at Road America.

8. Lyn St James

At the eighth position sits Lyn St James, who made her debut in car racing in 1976. As the first female driver to ever outperform 200 mph (204.233 mph), Lyn gladly wore the crown of World's Fastest Woman.

7. Courtney Force

Courtney Force is among the best and youngest female race car drivers on the list. She is the youngest daughter of the famous rally driver, John Force, who is another epitome of greatness when it comes to motorsport.

Courtney is still the best female Funny Car driver in NHRR, of course, on top of being a 12-time prize holder. She also raced her sister Brittany in three consecutive events and won each. She is among the most beautiful female race car drivers of all time.

6. Desiré Wilson

Desire is among the best African female race car drivers to win an award. She came onto the scene in her birth country, South Africa, winning the country's formula Ford Championship and getting the prize for the Driver to Europe grant. Her career is chronicled in the biography Driven by Desire: The Desiré Wilson Story.

5. Pat Moss

Born in the 1930s, Pat Moss is remembered as one of the most notorious female race car drivers. She debuted on the scene in the club's rallies back in 1953. She gathered a great portfolio within no time, finishing in 1st place five consecutive times in the European Ladies' Rally Championship.

4. Louise Smith

Even though Louise Smith passed on in 2006, she is still remembered as the first lady of racing following her break into fame in 1949 at the Daytona Beach and Road Course race. Her most notable race was one at Daytona 500 when she embarked on it without any aid.

3. Janet Guthrie

Janet Guthrie is the first woman to compete in a NASCAR Winston Cup stock car race. She achieved a notable milestone when she was included in the Women's Sports Hall of Fame in 1980 and the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2006. She is such a talented race car driver that even the NASCAR legend Andretti once commended her.

2. Shirley Cha Cha Muldowney

Shirley Muldowney, dubbed the first lady of Drag Racing, was the first woman to be licensed by the National Hot Rod Association. Additionally, Shirley was the first female rally driver to drive a top-fuel dragster. Throughout her career as a race car driver, she won 18 NHRA national events before retiring.

1. Danica Patrick

Arguably, Danica Patrick is the most popular female race car driver in the racing world. She has made a name in both NASCAR and Indycar history. She began her decorated career in 2005 when she led 19 laps of the Indy 500. In 2012, she diverted into a full-time NASCAR career, and by the time it reached 2013, she became the first woman to win the Daytona 500 pole.

How much do female race car drivers make?

One thing about car racing is that the drivers' salaries vary widely with company, location, industry, benefits, experience, winnings, and brand endorsement deals. According to various sources, they make an annual salary of $55,133.

Sponsorships and brand endorsement contracts also play a vital part in how much money they make. Alternatively, they also make a fortune from the different laps they participate in.

How do female race car drivers urinate?

For such a sport, where one spends hours on the steering wheels, fans have taken to social media inquiring about how these female car racers ease themselves in case of any emergency. And while there is no specific answer to this question, each female rally driver has her method of combating the issue.

What is more, some drivers opt to wear special racing suits that include built-in urinary systems. Additionally, some of them choose to hold it until they get a chance to use the washrooms.

Unlike decades that had passed when motorsports were a male-dominated sport, today, some women have found their niche, and certainly, it is in the racing sector. That said, some of the best female race car drivers have emerged, threatening to break into and stay in the NASCAR world.

Sportsbrief.com has recently published an article about the 15 richest F1 drivers in the world as of 2022/2023. Formula One (F1) is a multi-million dollar sport that pays drivers handsomely. Some famous F1 stars include Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, and Fernando Alonso.

Why are F1 drivers so rich? Formula One drivers are usually paid millions of dollars per race based on their contracts. They earn money by winning or scoring points above the target threshold. Click this article and find more information about some of the richest F1 drivers in the world.