Lella Lombardi: The only woman to score points in F1 - and how we can see another do it.

credit: F1

In the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix, amid a chaotic race, one woman quietly etched her name into Formula 1 history. Lella Lombardi, piloting a March 751, crossed the finish line in sixth place. The shortened race meant that only half points were awarded, but her 0.5 championship point remain significant to this day. She is the only woman to have ever scored points in a Formula 1 World Championship race, and the question has now become why and how can we make her journey only the first of many?

Lombardi's journey to the pinnacle of motorsport was as unlikely as it was inspiring. Born in Frugarolo, a small Italian town, in 1941, Maria Grazia “Lella” Lombardi grew up far from the racetracks that would come to define her life. She started racing in the early 60s, competing in hill climbs and touring car events. Her rise was fueled not by connections, but sheer tenacity, a trait that continues to define the women attempting to break into F1 today.

Lombardi’s presence on the grid was revolutionary at the time. She didn’t arrive as a media gimmick or a token character, she earned her seat. Yet sponsorship was scarce and teams were skeptical. That same challenge persists now. Despite initiatives and growing awareness, many talented female drivers still struggle for funding and support, having to work harder to secure financial backing, and often ridiculed for setting their sights on F1 to begin with.

Lombardi’s career in F1 was brief but impactful. She raced in 12 Grands Prix between 1974 and 1976, most of which she ended in retirement due to the limitations of her machinery rather than her driving. Still, she persisted, finding success in sports cars and endurance racing later in her career. In F1, she became a symbol of resilience - an example of the qualities that women in motorsport today still have in abundance.

Take drivers like Jamie Chadwick, the three-time W Series champion. Like Lombardi, Chadwick has proven her capability on track, yet the jump to F1 remains elusive and it seems to fans like it was never considered seriously to get her on a track to that level of racing. The routes to Formula 1 are narrow and expensive, with few seats and fierce competition. Even with talent, women today must navigate a sport that, structurally, still hasn’t evolved fast enough for them.

But change is coming. Unlike in Lella’s time, and even a few years ago, there are now targeted programs like the F1 Academy and the FIA Women in Motorsport initiative, aiming to nurture female talent from karting all the way to elite racing. These programs are aiming for long-term commitment and meaningful integration into the F1 pipeline. While Lombardi didn’t benefit from any such backing; her success should demonstrate that it is doable and should not be seen as extraordinary to have a woman in an F1 car. Imagine what she could have achieved with the kind of structured support now beginning to emerge.

Her legacy has endured. She became a role model for women who saw in her not just a racer, but a possibility. She proved a woman could compete at the highest level of motorsport and today’s young drivers are climbing similar ladders already. But talent like Abbi Pulling and Doriane Pin, like Lella, need opportunities, not just inspiration.

credit: F1 Academy Ltd.

Lombardi once said, “People were suspicious. They didn’t believe a woman could be tough enough. But I loved racing. I didn’t care what they thought.” It’s this uncompromising love for the sport that still drives women to pursue racing against all odds. That same fire is visible today, in karting paddocks, Formula 3 races, and behind the scenes at simulator tests. What’s missing isn’t the passion, it’s the platform.

We don’t need another Lella Lombardi because the original was unique. But we do need more people willing to put a woman like her on the grid. Her 0.5 point was never just a number as much as it was a statement. With sustained effort and proper support, the next woman to score in F1 could do far more than that. And when she does, she’ll be standing on the shoulders of many women, including Lella Lombardi.