She wasnt one of those tossers that arrive in F1 from time to time. I feel its simply a competitive sport. To optimise your browsing experience, please update your browser. The world in general, and motor racing in particular, was a less enlightened place in the mid-'70s than present day. Explore our range of classic cars and spark your own racing career. After driving the delivery van for her familys butchers shop, she raced karts briefly, before saving everything she could to buy her first car, which she drove in Formula Monza in 1965. It wasnt a publicity stunt. Search instead in Creative? The race suffered a major tragedy when the rear wing on Rolf Stommelen's Embassy Hill broke, sending him into the barrier. If shed been a bit more glamorous perhaps more people would have noticed.. There were 34 contestants for the 25 places on the grid, which made the prospect of the Italian getting into the race remote. Her success gave visibility to trans people and a narrative the public hadnt come into contact with that transitions werent smokescreens for the perceived undercurrent of male homosexuality. We knew what shed done beforehand and clearly she was very capable.. I first met her that year when she and Fiorenza asked my husband Bruno to help create a team, says Remondi. Anyone seriously expecting the Italian girl to qualify for a place on the grid must show a lamentable knowledge of Grand Prix racing today, but this is no reflection on her efforts, which were very commendable.. That includes both domestic and international flights. Towards the end of the test she pitted because she correctly thought that the car was developing a puncture; not severe but enough to make a difference.. She had raced hard against some of the best drivers in the world, and she finished in sixth place. This, and other good results, attracted attention, with whichLombardi obtained backing to try and run in the 1974 British Grand Prix. [14] Majendie argues this by citing Lombardis example as a racer, who despite her gender, successfully entered Formula One. Despite only driving in F1 across three seasons, Lombardi demonstrated her fearlessness nature and sheer dedication to motorsport. However, the onset of the Second World War led her to joining the RAF as a pilot something she had previously trained as. She continued to impress, and ran the series in 1974. Im not terribly conscious of there being a difference between male and female in this sort of thing. ), (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap). While failing to qualify, Pete Lyons, arguably the leading F1 journalist of that era, nevertheless described Lombardi'sintroduction to the world of Formula One like this: "Lella Lombardi drove her BT42 the same chassis with which Pace failed to qualify in France in a brisk enough, and clean enough, manner to impress people favourably.". We discovered her story while investigating iconic women from history. La Lombardi non aveva ancora compiuto 51 anni ed stata sepolta nel cimitero di Frugarolo, nell'alessandrino, suo paese natale. She continued in sports cars until the beginning of the 80s, when she swapped over to the much less-publicized touring car racing. Elford: When asked in a press conference how she was coping with such a hefty car, she replied, I dont have to carry it, I just have to drive it.. As a greater number of females participate in entry-level racing from a young age, we will eventually see another one meet and surpass the groundbreaking achievements of Lella Lombardi. She raced regularly for March in F1 in 1975 with backing from Count Googie Zanon, retiring an old 741 with fuel system problems on her debut in South Africa, when she became the only woman after de Filippis to qualify for an official GP (ahead of Wilson Fittipaldi and Graham Hill), then scored that half point in only her second outing, the controversial Spanish race. Im just as competitive as any male in my mind. But I dont think he ever did a flying lap in that car. She is the only woman to win points in Formula One, winning half a point in the Spanish Grand Prix. It was in one of the formers nimble BMW-engined 2-litre prototypes that Lombardi became the first woman to win a round of an FIA-sanctioned world championship: the 1979 Enna Six Hours, co-driven by hillclimb specialist Enrico Grimaldi. There were two other female drivers in the field: American Janet Guthrie and Belgian Christine Beckers. Driving Line Accelerating Automotive Passion by providing a fresh angle of what fuels us. Wins Thankfully, things began to change, helped by these motoring queer pioneers. View the profiles of people named Lella Lombardi. Even Jochen Mass, declared the precipitate winner after 29 laps, scrambled from his McLaren with a face like thunder and threatened violence to smug officials. The irony of Beuttlers racing record is that even though he achieved five top-10 finishes in the 28 races he took part in, he never managed to secure any points though todays regulations would have awarded him some. She was survived by her partner, Fiorenza. Recognised by his signature yellow Brabham, Beuttler remained forever, a dash of colour in a grey field. The male gaze has shaped motorsports, which is why those drivers that operate outside of its sight and yet succeed within it, are so remarkable. Those were not easy cars to drive basically a Formula 2 with a big, tall lump stuck in the back but she got quicker and quicker during the year. It was too much too soon. One place and one lap behind him was Lombardi: the first and to date only woman to score a point in a world championship GP, but in a half-points race. Lella was my recommendation. She raced in Italian F3 for the next two years, finishing 10th in the championship both times and beating rated hotshoe Maurizio Flammini in a heat at Vallelunga. Vit would come back in and say, Yeah, yeah, cars perfect. She raced with the talented racer/journalist Marie-Claude Beaumont in 1975 in an Alpine A441 under the far-sighted Francois Guiters Ecurie Elf Ladies Team, and later won the 1979 Enna Six Hours with Enrico Grimaldi (becoming the first woman to win an FIA Championship event). Driver Information Its perfect. Her experience has shaped the involvement of women in racing and how people perceive females in the racing industry. Sadly, after a breast injury in 1985 she started to suffer from the cancer that finally claimed her on March 3, 1992 in Milans San Camillo Clinic, days short of her 51st birthday. Lella Lombardi: "Preferisco un incidente che innamorarmi", http://www.nascar.com/drivers/dps/llombard00/cup/index.html, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lella_Lombardi&oldid=1132016872, Italian Formula Three Championship drivers, Sportspeople from the Province of Alessandria, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 6 January 2023, at 21:48. Philanthropic enthusiast Count Zanon agreed and offered March 50,000 to run Lombardi in F1 in 1975. She was very good and very quick, but though we were very different characters, we spent an evening early on discussing all that sort of thing. But she wanted me to be just as fast and was always giving me tips and help. Lombardis place in motorsport history is firmly fixed. It was in one of their BMW-powered 2-litre prototypes that she became the first woman to win a round of an FIA-sanctioned World Championship, the 1979 Enna-Pergusa Six Hours, with hill-climb specialist Enrico Grimaldi as her co-driver. Growing up an all-around sportswoman, Lombardi had the opportunity to become anything she wanted, but she didnt fall in love with racing until she was in her twenties. She didnt care. She finished fifth overall, with four fourth places, two fifths and three sixths. The success of becoming the first women to score points in F1 was sadly rather overshadowed due to the death of five spectators during the race. She also beat Maurizio Flamminis March to win a heat at Vallelunga. Lombardi later raced in sports cars. Stamina was no problem, either, because you couldnt drive flat out back then and expect to last the distance.. But he skipped 1952 season. And post-war, we had Maria Teresa de Filippis a bold trailblazer herself French sportscar racer and rallyist Marie-Claude Beaumont, Desire Wilson, Deborah Gregg, Olympic skier Davina Galica, Lella herself and Giovanna Amati. She was really nice, and a good partner to share a car with, something I was not used to. Had Lombardi not begun to get sicklater discovered to be breast cancershe likely would have continued in racing past the late 80s, when she was forced to retire. Fresh from bridging the Indy 500s gender gap, and contesting the Winston Cup on a shoestring, Guthrie was dismayed by the Europeans red-carpet welcome. Starting in karting and moving to Formula Monza and Formula Three, Lombardi advanced through racing until she reached Formula One. She finished 14th at the Brazilian Grand Prix but the team decided to replace her with Ronnie Peterson, who became available after breaking away from Lotus. Painful. At the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix, Lombardi scored half a point, making her the only woman to ever score any championship points in Formula 1. 3 March 1992(1992-03-03) (aged50)Milan, Italy And they finished 11th at Le Mans, despite a long delay because of an electrical glitch that stranded Beckers without engine or headlights; her resourceful fix surprised the team. Lella voted to race, with Mario Andretti, Mark Donohue, Ronnie Peterson, Vittorio Brambilla, Tony Brise, Jacky Ickx and Bob Evans sharing the idea. No entourage. The 5000 we spent renting a car from Bernie Ecclestone was our only investment in Lella, says Angela Webb. Lombardi was a versatile racer and tried her hand at numerous disciplines throughout her career. Two of his fellows, his brother Wilson and Arturo Merzario, retired after completingone token lap. First Race The founder brought a pair of 1975 Brabham BT44B Grand Prix cars with help from the driver Loris Kessel, selling the other seat to whoever could afford them for selected races of the 1976 championship. Herd: Max [Mosley], a much better engineer than people might think, asked me if he could borrow Vittorio for a few laps. Lella was survived by her partner, Fiorenza. She was very professional and we enjoyed working with her. The race only continued for four more laps before it was stopped. They were better than her only championship event that year, just only just. By 1974 she was ready to make her Formula One debut behind the wheel of a privately entered Brabham in which, unfortunately, she didnt qualify. We were too busy building production racing cars. Unfortunately, she failed to qualify for the race. In the 1970s, ROC was more of an all star race than the challenge runs in different cars that it is today. Lombardi raced a Lola-Chevrolet finishing unclassified in 14th. Montjuich 1975: Lella Lombardi hustles her March to sixth place and the only GP point for a woman albeit halved by the shortened race. ), She is commemorated by a bust in her birthplace Frugarolo, near Alessandria, and her eponymous team in Lombardy exists to this day. She was not interested in music, reading, culture or anything else. (Shed knocked off a year or two to avoid another prejudice. [13] Journalist Phil Pash reports that though Lombardi viewed racing as a masculine sport, she succeeded regardless because of her competitive spirit. [13] Among others who comment on the effects of Lombardis legacy is Matt Majendie, who writes about Jamie Chadwick. It was a deep irony that when Maria Grazia Lella Lombardi became the only woman to score a World Championship point in only her second GP, in Spain in a works March 751 in 1975 it was actually only half a point. The latest news, updates and more straight to your inbox. Though Zanon, a huge fan of Petersons, smoothed matters by helping her find employment elsewhere, the transition was not without problem. Fastest Laps She was 50 years old and was buried in Frugarolo. Cowell had a family, she was a war veteran and an avid motoring enthusiast and racer. Rather than ask to be entirely funded in her efforts behind the wheel of the Brabham, she paid her way herself. I went with her from Snetterton to Norwich once: 30mph all the way. And their respect. The rest of the season played out and finished with Lombardi not being able to start the U.S.Grand Prix due to ignition failure on her way to the grid. Having coped with her Chevrolets worsening transmission problem, Lombardi chose not to restart after a long stoppage for rain and was classified 31st. She finished 14th at the Brazilian Grand Prix that year, and subsequently, the team decided to replace her with Ronnie Peterson. Highlights include: being crowned the Italian Formula Three runner up in 1968 and winning the Italian Formula 850 Series in 1970. But she was a fighter and never gave up even through the operations. She drove for the factory March team for the whole of the 1975 . This approach works for an endless parade of nobody male drivers, and it got Lella close enough to just grasp at history, at least for a moment, before it all started to slip away from her. She told me shed been hit on her breast during a sailing trip and it hurt very much. Pete Lyons summed up the mess that FormulaOne stumbled into at this race: "The first 1975 GP in Europe was an unmitigated debacle. Her legacy, however, was assured 40 years ago when, on a hill overlooking Barcelona, she scored that half-point and proved her point: I am not a feminist, only a free and independent woman., The first race of 2023 is yet to be run, but Ferrari is already downplaying its chances in the Bahrain Grand Prix, and pinning its hopes for the F1 season on catching up with upgrades, IndyCar might be running semi-vintage machinery, but the racing excitement and driver pool is second to none in his season preview Preston Lerner asks if 2023 can be its rebirth, Ferrari's ability to challenge the searing pace of Max Verstappen and Red Bull in 2023 rests on it remedying its engine reliability woes, says Mark Hughes. Fourth at Brands Hatch at the first time of asking, Lombardi matched that result at Monza, Oulton Park and Mallory Park during a consistent campaign: she finished all bar the last of 18 rounds to be fifth in the points. She wasnt interested in fashion and usually wore trousers if she was in civvies. While she remains one of the elite few women who've raced in Formula One, and the only of them to gain a score, motorsport continues to evolve, and in many ways, reflects the social progress seen elsewhere. More statistics by age for Lella Lombardi Career chart profile Seasons: nr of season from first GP until the last. Poles Please update your cookie preferences, WATCH: F1 for beginners Everything you need to know about F1 ahead of the new season, Live Blog She never brought a girlfriend. She raced a Lola-Chevrolet and finished 14th. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. The Indy 500's gender segregation had just been nullified, which meant NASCAR had to step up to the plate. Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi (26 March 1941 - 3 March 1992) was a racing driver from Italy. I really think that there are too many women who perhaps feel that motor racing is essentially a masculine affair. Lella Lombardi. She scraped together enough money to go racing and competed in any car she could get her hands on. That year, she won both the 6 Hours of Pergusa and the 6 Hours of Vallelungaevents she was competing in as part of both the World Sportscar Championship and the Italian Sportscar Championship. In 1975 Lombardi took part in all F1 championship weekends apart from the first two races, Argentina and Brazil. She was taking home swaths of victories in the lower tiers of racing, ready to make a name for herself. ), (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap), (key) (note: results shown in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap), (key) (Bold Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Lombardi practiced her skills behind an F1 car in several non-championship events. Lombardi then switched to racing an Alfa Romeo in the European Touring Car Championship from 1982 until the end of her career in '87. She wasnt far off team mate John Watsons times initially in a similar car, but failed to qualify by nine-tenths after a driveshaft failure. She was charming but stubborn and independent, and a tremendously careful road driver. However, as were her wishes, the team remained active after her death and remains so today. Upload media. Wed recognize Lella now like a typical modern racer: focused on nothing but driving, not speaking about her private life. (Shed already been farmed out to Williams at Watkins Glen the previous October, when her FW04 conked on the warm-up lap.) She failed to qualify RAM Racings BT44B at Brands where Divina Galica, the Webbs latest fast lady, outperformed her and in Germany the car was impounded by court injunction. Technically, because he was regarded by many as only semi-closeted as he often brought a girlfriend along to his races though friends and colleagues say most of them knew and werent bothered by it. Lombardi won the Fiat-engined Formula 850 Championship of 1970 in a Biraghi, scoring four victories at Monza against future F1 DNQ-ers Alberto Colombo and Giorgio Francia. Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi (26 March 1941 - 3 March 1992) was an Italian racing driver who participated in 17 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix. Lella Lombardis racing career has influenced the perceptions of subsequent generations of females in racing. Her next two entries at Le Mans were not quite as great. Thats unusual for a racing driver. Some of this was cultural, while the rest was sheer bravado in a sport that still regularly claimed the lives of those who competed. But her 1975 season, too, was a pretty unfortunate year. You can update your preferences, withdraw your consent at any time, and see a detailed description of the types of cookies we and our partners use in our Cookie Policy. Lombardi was not actually from Turin but rather the same area of Italy. Lomardi had a successful junior career in the lead up to her time in F1. Lombardi is commemorated by a sculpture in her birthplace, Frugarolo. You can set your cookie preferences using the toggles below. In 1974, Lombardi was the first female racing driver to qualify and compete at the Race of Champions in Brands Hatch. From that peak it was back down to earth with a bump; Lombardi failed to qualify next in Monaco. Two years later she further proved her ability as she won four of the 10 Formula 850 races in a Biraghi, and went on to take the championship in 1971. She also raced a Lola and an Eagle for Francisco Mirs team in the US F5000 series, as team mate to rising star James Hunt. No trouble. Create your free account today and explore our weekly auctions curated by our team of experts. Purtroppo, il 3 marzo del 1992, morta di cancro. Wikipedia. She is the only woman to date in Formula One history to score points when she finished 6th at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix and picked up half a point. Cowell continued driving after her transition, winning the 1957 Shelsley Walsh Speed Hill Climb. Lella Lombardi died in March 1992 She was one of the few women that have raced the 24 hours of LeMans, witha best result of 4th. That certainly got their attention. Sign up to receive marketing communications. A start in the 1976 Brazil Grand Prix with a 14th place finish would be the end of Lombardi's career with the March team; she was then replaced by the great Ronnie Peterson. But finally everyone bowed to the pressure of. She remained an active racer until 1970 and her legacy lives on today. [3] Lella Lombardi was also one of the first female racers in a same-sex relationship. She was also a lesbian but Lombardis sexuality was never center stage. She stayed in Italy and flew to each race, yet never asked for expenses. Queer drivers are a case in point. While she had some poor seasons behind the wheel of poor cars, she also could consistently log top ten finishes. The 1975 Spanish Grand Prix was cut short while Lombardi was running in sixth place. She endeared herself to the media when she was asked how it felt to handle such big cars and replied: I dont have to carry it, I just have to drive it., WATCH: 10 iconic Williams moments as the team reach 750 GPs at Monaco. The following year, in 1976, Lombardi only contested four F1 weekends. Certainly, she would have achieved better results. In 1979, she won the 6 hours of Pergusa and the 6 hours of Vallelunga. Wed just started the ShellSPORT Celebrity Series [for Escort Mexicos] and my wife Angela invited her to compete at Brands Hatch in July. Italics Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. Her best result was ninth at Riverside, but notably when James qualified 11th at Ontario, Lella was only two places behind the man who would be world champion in 1976. Behind the wheel, female drivers compete at the highest levels. Such was her tenacity that she basically taught herselfand also worked for her parents to save the money to pay for her first car, which she bought at the age of 24. If shed been a bit more glamorous perhaps more people would have noticed.. Because it was a short race, Lombardi was only awarded a half of a point. Deceased [15] As an example of successful women produced by Formula One,[16] Lombardi is credited with making Formula One accessible to women. Lella only complained about the inequality of Formula 1 because nobody had listened to her about changes for the car. World Titles Nine tenths shy of the grid, she had, in a better car admittedly, lapped as quickly as Tom Bels and faster than Vern Schuppan, John Nicholson, Howden Ganley, Wilds and Leo Kinnunen. [8] That winter, she met an Italian nobleman, Count Vittorio Zanon, who sponsored her entrance into F1. In 1974, Lombardi became the first woman to race at the Race of Champions at Brand Hatch. In 1976 Lombardi was confirmed at March alongside Brambilla and Stuck. The race was stopped shortly thereafter and half points awarded to those who happened to occupy the top six positions at the time.". No trouble.. Michele Mouton came within a whisker of becoming the World Rally Champion, Lilian Bryner has won the Spa 24 Hours, and Sabine Schmitz has twice triumphed at the Nrburgring 24. This was Lombardis breakthrough year. But its boss Charles James wanted to be involved lock, stock and barrel. But it seemed to be the most fruitful option for a woman looking to continue behind the wheel due to how many options were available for her. She and Fiorenza were a beautiful couple, reserved; the spotlight was never on them. Premier Investment Group, LLC. But even today we associate motorsports with something overly fraternal. In the 1975 event, she was once again able to qualify and compete with a March-Ford. Lombardis most successful season was 1979. [14] Chadwick argues that for women entering Formula One in 2022, financial support is a greater obstacle than gender. Brambilla, perhaps never really pushing that car whenever he was asked to try it, never mentioned the handling problem, but Ronnie Peterson quickly noted it in 1976. Lombardi is commemorated by a sculpture in her birthplace, Frugarolo. He was very ambitious and so we signed big names Jean-Pierre Beltoise and Henri Pescarolo to show that we meant business. Catawiki is continuously updating its technology. Not only was she a novice in Formula One, but her car also suffered a broken gearbox in the vital Final Qualifying Session. Lombardi is one of two female drivers to qualify for Formula One and is the only female who scored points in Formula One. Thats the one I remember. Lella Lombardi Driver Information Born 26 March 1941 Frugarolo, Italy Died 3 March 1992 (aged 50) Milan, Italy Nationality ITA Formula One World Championship Career Statistics Status Deceased World Titles 0 Races 18 (12 starts) Poles 0 Wins 0 Podiums 0 Fastest Laps 0 Points 0.5 First Race 1974 British Grand Prix Last Race 1976 Austrian Grand Prix The fact that Cowell had all the traditional trappings of male heterosexuality but was a trans woman helped combat predominant stigmas around trans people, gay men and motoring too. Only a last minute threat by the race organisers to have the entirety of the Formula One equipment impounded by the police induced the drivers to practise in the last session. Lella Lombardi is one of only two women to start a world championship race in the history of F1 Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi, the only female driver to finish in a points position in a Formula One world championship motor race, was born on this day in 1941 in Frugarolo, near Alessandria in Piedmont. Racing was her passion, and she was focused on it wholly. By creating your free Catawiki account, youll be able to bid on any of our 65,000 special objects up for auction every week. "My directing partner Vincent Tran and I first became aware of Lella Lombardi in 2018. Lella Lombardi will be remembered for her achievements in motorsport, her Formula 1 record and being one of only three openly LGBTQ+ F1 drivers. By then she was fighting the cancer that would eventually take her lifeMarch 1992 at the young age of 50. Born in 1941 in Frugarolo, Italy, Lombardi first started driving as the delivery person for her family shop (they were butchers). She and Fiorenza were a beautiful couple, reserved; the spotlight was never on them. Thats unusual for a racing driver. Juan Manuel Fangio started in 1950 and had last race in 1958. 18 (12 starts) Born in Frugarolo, Piedmont, she participated in 17 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 20 July 1974. Lombardi also competed numerous times at 24 Hours of Le Mans with her best result, a ninth place finish, coming in 1976. But the Nrburgring was her best drive, says March co-founder/designer Robin Herd. A former butcher's delivery driver turned F1 racer, she's still the only woman to ever rack up F1 World Championship points and was lovingly known by the press as 'Turin's Tiger'. She quickly discovered a love for the cars but had to hide this from her parents at a time when female drivers were looked down upon. She was, like many female drivers, not particularly conscious of her genderit was all about the racing. This was despite the fact that she maintained a great relationship with team owner Robin Herd, who spoke only. The early days of her love affair with motorsports saw her sneak into Brooklands racing circuit wearing mechanics overalls, offering to help any mechanic or driver who would accept it. She was regularly overshadowed by emergent team mate Vittorio Brambilla, never getting within two seconds of him in qualifying. Born in Frugarolo, Italy, on March 21 1941, she reached adolescence understanding that two aspects of her nature were at odds with public opinion of the day: she loved cars and she was gay. However, she was prevented from starting due to an ignition problem. While apremature end to a life and career that had not reachedits full potential, Lella Lombardi nevertheless made her point; no one can take that away from her. Instead, it was her achievements that did the talking for her. Lombardi is the most successful out of all five women who have competed in Formula 1. She was the first woman since Maria Teresa de Filippis in 1958 to qualify in a championship F1 event. She wasnt there to make up the numbers. Formula 1 Wiki is a FANDOM Lifestyle Community. Finishing 14th at the season opener in Brazil, Lombardi then failed to qualify in Great Britain and Germany. Soon she broke through worldwide, winning the Formula Ford Mexico series and made her Formula One debut in 1974. Discover moreclassic cars| classic motorcycles and scooters, The story of the woman who invented the road trip, Attic stories: engines and ingenuity with Paola Lagnena, The customisable Mini Coopers that everyone wanted. And she left as her legacy her own racing team, Lella Lombardi Autosport, the question of what might have been, and a shining example of how to live life on your own terms, with your whole being focused on your target and not what others think of you. Pitting on lap seven because of flat spots, he would, amid the chaos, recover to finish a lapped fifth. 1974 British Grand Prix On her deathbed she asked us to continue the team to preserve what she had achieved. But Lombardi was tenacious. During one of the most controversial weekends in F1 history, set amid a notoriously dangerous Barcelona street circuit . Lombardi finished seventh in Augusts German GP, despite a puncture. Italian racing driver (1941-1992) Lombardi at 1975 Dutch Grand Prix. I love motor racing and thats all I want to do. Painful. He eventually qualified fifth, from where he triggered a first-corner pile-up. Showing Editorial results for lella lombardi. At present, women hold two team principal positions in F1: Claire Williams and Monica Kaltenborn with Williams Grand Prix and Sauber, respectively. She had the strength of a man but a womans sensibility: she was kind and transmitted serenity. Remondi told Motorsport Magazine: She would often speak of sacrifices. Lombardi had also raced in the Firecracker 400 NASCAR race at the Daytona International Speedway in 1977. Over her career, Lombardi started an impressive twelve F1 races, spanning the 1974-1976 seasons. Lombardi is one of two female drivers to qualify for Formula One and is the only female who scored points in Formula One. It was easily one of the most consistently successful eras of her career. The next race, the German Grand Prix, was held at Nrburgring on the 14.189-mile Nordschleife not for the faint of heart.