Women and engines have traditionally been two worlds apart, but in recent years they have joined hands to travel this intrepid path. Examples such as that of the pilot Laia Sanz are ceasing to be the exception and her presence in events as prestigious or tough as the Dakar rally is received more and more naturally. Based on the work that pioneers like her have done for years, many barriers have been broken and the new generations now have a benchmark to aspire to.
And not just in the front row, the presence of women extends to all corners: mechanics, engineers... even race directors like Neus Santamaría. At the age of 26, in addition to breaking all the taboos regarding women in the motor world, this pioneer from Barcelona has also had to work twice as hard to erase the stigma of her age. She was the youngest woman to be an international racing director, although her dream is to reach the long-awaited Formula 1.
To learn first-hand how they live in this exciting and changing world and talk about all the challenges they face, La Vanguardia and Acciona are organizing a meeting on March 6 with some of the women who are rewriting motor history and challenging all prejudices. that surround them. Starting at 10 in the morning, at Tuset Estudios (c/ Aribau, 230-240), the driver Laia Sanz, the racing director Neus Santamaría and the motoring journalist from DAZN Nira Juanco Alonso will meet. Authorized voices that will discuss the evolution of the female presence in motorsports, the current challenges for the women who are part of it and the future challenges that must be addressed to continue growing.
The irruption of women is not the only transformation that this sector has experienced in recent times. In full transition towards the decarbonisation of the economy, the motor world has not wanted to be left out of this complicated but necessary transformation. Sustainability policies are gaining space in competitions and, aware of the impact that motor vehicles have on the environment, competitions with hybrid or 100% electric vehicles such as Formula E or Extreme E, the competition that better combines sustainability and parity. Formed by mixed pairs of pilot and co-pilot and aboard 100% electric vehicles, it is an exciting championship that carries out its tests in scenarios affected by climate change. Laia Sanz, together with Carlos Sainz, make up the couple that represents the Acciona Sainz XE Team.
Laia Sanz (Corbera de Llobregat, 1985) is one of the most successful riders in the world, with a record that includes 14 trial world championships and 6 enduro races. An off-road athlete who doesn't care about competing on two or four wheels. Last January she completed her thirteenth participation in the Dakar rally. She has contested what is considered one of the toughest events in the world eleven times on the motorcycle, the last two in the car category, becoming the best female motorcycle driver in the history of the event (9th overall in 2015). .
In his eagerness to open doors to the new generations. She has recently participated in a book of children's stories ('Superheroïnes de l'esport', Ara Llibres) and in the TV3 program 'Una de les nostres', a production created to make visible the female leaders of Catalan sport.
Neus Santamaría (Barcelona, 1996) is race director at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. The engine is in her blood, she is the daughter of the current director of the Circuit, Josep Lluís Santamaría. She obtained her first official license at just 16 years old and at 24 she became the world's youngest female international race director. Last December she was chosen 'Best Senior Official of 2022' at the FIA Officials and Volunteers awards
Nira Juanco (Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 1978) has dedicated her entire professional life to Formula 1. She started on television in 2009, when she joined the Antena 3 F1 broadcast team, a position she had never held before. a woman. After six years, she signed for the F1 Latin America Channel to end up on DAZN. Since last year she is deputy director of the DAZN F1 channel.
The meeting with Laia Sanz, Neus Santamaria and Nira Juanco will take place next Monday, March 6, at Tuset Estudios (c/ Aribau, 230-240). It is open to the public, but it is necessary to confirm attendance in advance by email: encuentroslv@lavanguardia.es. This interesting talk can also be followed via streaming on the La Vanguardia website.
