Ahead of their seventh consecutive participation in the 24 Hours of Le Mans – the showpiece event on the FIA World Endurance Championship calendar – the Iron Dames have taken the wraps off the special design that will adorn their #85 Porsche 911 GT3 R LMGT3 in motorsport’s most famous race.
Since making their debut in the legendary twice-round-the-clock contest in 2019, the Iron Dames have never finished lower than ninth in-class, reaching the chequered flag on all six occasions and placing inside the top five in the most recent two editions.
After turning heads in 2024 with a livery inspired by children’s dreams, they are returning to La Sarthe with a brand new, next-level look to take that vision even further. Espousing the bold statement ‘Powering Your Dreams’, the 2025 livery is symbolic as well as eye-catching, with every curve and colour reflecting the five core pillars of the pioneering project – passion, determination, discipline, commitment and energy.
In collaboration with TotalEnergies, the trailblazing trio are preparing to proudly write the next chapter of their purpose-driven journey – as they seek to inspire a new generation to believe in themselves and pursue the seemingly impossible – after making history in Bahrain in 2023 when they became the first all-female entry to claim an FIA WEC race win.
That result was secured in a Porsche, and having since rekindled their relationship with the German marque by joining forces with reigning world champions Manthey, the Iron Dames are targeting another milestone moment in northern France next weekend (14-15 June).
They will go into the event buoyed by a race-leading performance in last month’s TotalEnergies 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps, and with their sights firmly set on producing a memorable display in the fiercely-disputed LMGT3 category in round four of the FIA WEC season.
“Being back at Le Mans is always special, and being back for the seventh time as an Iron Dame is even more special,” enthused Michelle Gatting, who was promoted to official Porsche driver status ahead of the start of the current campaign. “I’m very excited for this particular 24 Hours of Le Mans, because we are racing with the team that dominated last year (Manthey). We know the task won’t be easy – it never is – but we are determined to be extra-strong and work extra-hard to achieve a good result.”
Like Gatting, long-standing Iron Dames stablemate Rahel Frey has multiple prior appearances under her belt in the race, and was similarly part of the history-making line-up that triumphed in Bahrain 19 months ago.
“I’m really looking forward to the 24 Hours of Le Mans – my favourite race of the year!” commented the Swiss star. “Being back with Porsche, with whom we achieved our best result so far, and now with the championship-defending team in partnership with TotalEnergies makes this event even more special. It’s another milestone for the Iron Dames project and a testament to how far we’ve come.”
Completing the crew, FIA WEC rookie Célia Martin will be making her bow in the season’s flagship event, having risen rapidly through the ranks in GT racing. The Frenchwoman impressed in only her third outing in the championship in Belgium, as she pulled off a superb pass on Ian James’ Aston Martin to take the LMGT3 class lead.
“Competing in my first 24 Hours of Le Mans is a dream come true, and doing it with the ‘Powering Your Dreams’ livery makes it even more special,” she acknowledged. “I’m proud to be sharing this adventure with my two experienced team-mates, Michelle and Rahel.
“Together with Porsche, Manthey and TotalEnergies, we’re sending a message that goes beyond racing – a message about ambition, inclusion and determination. We’re proving that motorsport can be a force for change, empowering the next generation to chase their dreams – on and off-track.”
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