Exactly 49 years ago, on April 27, 1975, the Italian Lella Lombardi (1941-1992) made history in Formula 1 by finishing sixth in the Spanish GP, held at the Montjuich circuit, a feat that has not been repeated by any other woman in the category to this day.
Then aged 34, aboard the March-Cosworth #10, Lella would score a point for the result (at that time only the top six scored), but the race was interrupted due to the accident of German Rolf Stommelen. The driver’s car (a Lola-Ford) hit spectators after losing its rear spoiler. Five people died. The driver survived and, coincidentally, died in an accident caused by a problem with his car’s airfoil while competing in a valid Camel GT IMSA race, in Riverside, California, United States.
As the Spanish race ended before the mandatory two thirds, the score was worth half, that is, Lella Lombardi’s point was reduced to 0.5.
REMARKABLE DAY FOR ANOTHER PILOT…
The 1975 Spanish GP also marked the career of German Jochen Mass (McLaren-Ford), then Emerson Fittipaldi’s teammate. It was Mass’ only victory in F1. The podium was completed by Belgian Jacky Ickx (Lotus-Ford) and Argentine Carlos Reutemann (Brabham-Ford).
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Lella Lombardi, who died aged 50 due to cancer, competed in 12 GPs. Before her, only one woman had competed in the category, the Italian Maria Teresa de Filippis (two GPs).
Three more women participated in official training in Formula 1, but none of them managed to qualify: British Divina Galica; the South African Desiré Wilson and the Italian Giovanna Amati.
The British Susie Wolff was a test driver for Williams and the Spanish Carmen Jordá also worked in this role, for Lotus.
Colombian Tatiana Calderón, with experience in Formula 2, is currently a reserve for Alfa Romeo in F1.
Some women even tested F1 cars in private sessions, such as the North American Sarah Fisher (with McLaren in 2002), the Englishwoman Katherine Legge (with Minardi in 2005), the Spanish Maria de Villota (Marussia, in 2012) and the Swiss Simona de Silvestro (Sauber, in 2014).
Lella Lombardi on April 27, 1975, at the Spanish GP, in Montjuich, the day she finished the race in sixth place and won half a point, with March-Ford. Photo: Disclosure
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