Ooops! It’s Women’s Day! Let’s Talk Motorsport Queens!
By Mwambazi Lawrence
Oops! Today is Women’s Day all over the world, and as we all know, motorsport has evolved throughout the years, bringing on board incredible female competitors drivers, co-drivers, motocross riders, marshals, FIA stewards and adminstrators. It would be a crime (don’t worry, not the kind you’ll end up in court for, but definitely punishable by the unspoken laws of fairness) to let this day pass without recognizing these women who have made motorsport a sport for all genders. Ladies and gentlemen lets raise a toast because today, we’re not just celebrating motorsport, we’re celebrating the women who make it go vroom-vroom like a boss!
Back in 1986, Michele Mouton shattered the glass ceiling and put women on the motorsport map when she won the German Rally Championship, becoming the first woman to snatch a major rally title. Some men probably thought, “Eh, maybe it was just luck,” but history didn’t just prove them wrong it did a full-on burnout in their faces. Michele’s triumph was the spark that lit the fire, and today, women are taking over the motorsport scene like it’s their personal racetrack! From the co-drivers to the drivers, and the pit crews to the marshals, women are everywhere, proving that speed has no gender, only talent!
Michele Mouton the first woman to snatch a major rally title in 1986
And who doesn’t know Susan Muwonge, aka Superlady? Uganda’s very own speed queen, hands down the fastest female driver, and hold on tight the first female national rally champion in Africa! If I start talking about this lady, trust me, I might need to schedule a whole week for it, so let’s just say she’s a motorsport icon who needs no introduction (but still gets one, because, well, why not?) And if you don’t know her, I’ll slap you with some serious motorsport knowledge because how could you not know Superlady?. From blazing trails to setting records, Superlady is a force that leaves everyone in the dust, and she’s not done yet she’s just getting started!
2 times Uganda National Rally Champion Susan Muwonge
They say behind every successful driver is a great co-driver… or at least someone screaming “LEFT! LEFT!” while the driver instinctively turns right! Female navigators have guided many drivers to victory, and they absolutely deserve their flowers! Kenya’s Tuta Mionki has been a co-driver to multiple legends, including Eric Benji, Waita Nzioka, Waigwa Murage, and even fellow female driver Hellen Shiri. Meanwhile, Uganda’s own Mildred Kibuuka has spent years not just navigating, but also bringing more women into the sport. If co-driving were a superpower, these ladies would be the Avengers, saving the day one perfectly timed turn at a time!
Kenyan lady navigator Tuta Mionki
Here in Uganda, the ladies are busy reading pace notes and taking names! We’ve got Shakirah Nabwami, Diana Nagawa,Nambasa Mariam, Nabirah Doreen, Monica Birwinyo, Namara Prosperous, and Asiimwe Doreen, who is currently tearing it up in the CRC category. And let’s not forget Zambia’s own Urshla Gomes, who made history as the 2022 Female Navigator African Rally Champion talk about making her country proud! Meanwhile, in Rwanda, Kalimpinya Queen is fearlessly showing the men who’s boss in a sport that’s been long dominated by them. Take notes, gentlemen, because the women are bringing the heat, and it’s not just in the kitchen!
Female Ugandan driver Asiimwe Doreen competing in the Clubman Rally Championship
Let’s not forget our two-wheeled daredevils! Sharifah Kateete and the Ugandan female motocross team flew the flag high in Morocco, while Hellena Bilunji took the 50cc title there, leaving Morocco wondering if Ugandan girls have extra fuel in their veins. Abigail Katente, the best lady rider at the CAC in Mombasa, plus Muwanguzi Abigail and Ariera Katende, are all names making Uganda proud on motocross tracks. You think balancing a bike is hard? Try doing it while winning championships!
Uganda Motorcross rider Sharifah Kateete
Motorsport would be a mess without marshals. These women stand in the heat, the dust, and sometimes the rain (seriously, someone buy them umbrellas!) to ensure safety on the tracks. Hats off to Racheal Ntende, Cathy Nambazira, Namwanje Sumayaah, Gloria Nantongo, Nabirah Maggie, Namisango Patricia, and many more who make sure drivers don’t turn the rally into a demolition derby.
The backbone of motorsport isn’t just on the track; it’s in the boardrooms too! Women like Laila Mayanja and Noela Blick have served in motorsport administration, ensuring the sport is not just a male-dominated business. These women are steering the ship with style, grace, and a whole lot of power!
Lastly, let’s salute the ladies who let their spouses go out and race every weekend. We know it’s not easy! Every time they hear “Babe, I’m going for a rally,” a small part of them probably wonders, “Will he return in one piece?” And let’s be honest, with so many beautiful girls in motorsport now, are the men really safe? Or should we start singing Azawi’s hit song Bamutute daa
To all the women making motorsport what it is today, we salute you! You’re the ones turning the track into a stage for brilliance, talent, and passion. Keep inspiring, keep pushing, and keep proving that motorsport is not just a man’s world it’s a world for everyone! Whether you’re behind the wheel, navigating, or keeping everything running smoothly behind the scenes, you’re showing the world that speed knows no gender, only heart and determination. Keep revving those engines, ladies this is your race, and you’re winning it!
Happy Women’s Day!
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