Photo Credit: Rex Features
Maria Teresa de Filippis, “She Devil”, was the first woman to ever enter a Formula One Racing Championship Race. She is only one of two women to have ever qualified for the prestigious event.
As you may know, Formula One has a reputation of being a rocky road for women. It surely wasn’t any easier back in 1958 when Maria Teresa de Filippis started coming up in the male dominated sport of auto racing. In 1958 at the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa, Maria finished in 10th place, but was later disqualified during the French Grand Prix after the race director stated: “The only helmet that a woman should use is the one at the hairdressers.” Maria kept moving forward…
In 1958 and 1959 Maria Teresa de Filippis raced in 3 Grand Prix Races. Maria raced in the 1949 Stella Alpina event, but was disqualified after the finish of the 1950 Giro di Sicilia. Race event organizers disqualified her, claiming that she had broke the rules by receiving a push start to the starting line. In 1954. Maria won 2nd place in the Italian Sports Car Championship. Two years later, she placed 2nd at the Naples Grand Prix. She retired from racing in 1959.
Maria Teresa de Filippis passed at the age of 89 on January 9th of this year.
Read more about the Life of Maria Teresa de Filippis.
