It’s 1958, and Maria Teresa de Filippis is about to become the first female driver to contend a World Championship Formula 1 Grand Prix…
In her short career – in which she’ll start three Grands Prix in a privately entered Maserati 250F, scoring a best-placed 10th position in Belgium – Italian Maria Teresa de Filippis will face opposition from the sport’s male-dominated authorities, and suffer grief after the death of her team owner Jean Behra, prompting her to retire. But she will make her point, and perpetuate dreams for women around the world. Remarkably, and probably to her subsequent disbelief, De Filippis will be one of only two females (the other being the late Lella Lombardi between 1974 and 1976) ever to start a Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix race. Sadly, she passed away last weekend, aged 89.
Photo: Getty
Relive the good old days with our series of vintage snapshots.
