Iron Dames: What happened to the iconic pink Porsche?

The Iron Dames have become an iconic staple of women’s motorsport and far beyond, but after financial struggles, the all-female team pulled out of the FIA World Endurance Championship ahead of the 2026 season. At the time, it was promised that they weren’t going anywhere, that they’d still be competing across motorsport categories, and their all-star driver line-up wouldn’t be impacted. Now, as we approach a year since the iconic pink No. 85 Porsche disappeared from the WEC grid, it seems that hasn’t exactly rung true.

Who are the Iron Dames? 

The Iron Dames is an all-female racing team born from a pioneering effort dedicated to promoting and championing women, empowering them to compete alongside men in mixed-gender motorsport. The project was founded in 2018 by Déborah Mayer, a former amateur racer who competed in Ferrari Challenge. Mayer founded Iron Dames shortly after founding team Iron Lynx in 2017 alongside her husband, Claudio Schiavoni, Sergio Pianezzola, and Andrea Piccini, and the Dames became the programme dedicated to advancing female talent. 

Deborah Mayer, co-founder of Iron Lynx and the Iron Dames.

The project quickly took off, and the team has since brought in big names to race for them, such as F1 Academy champions Doriane Pin and Marta Garcia, 2025 vice-champion Maya Weug, GT names Celia Martin, Sarah Bovy, Michelle Gatting, Rahel Frey, Karen Gaillard and Vanina Ickx, and rally duo Sarah Rumeau and Julie Amblard.

In recent years, the outfit has expanded, with Iron Dames Equestrian added to the roster in the effort to have the first full-time all-women team competing at the highest level of show jumping.

What have they achieved?

The Iron Dames secured their first Le Mans Hyperpole in 2022 - the first all-women crew to do so - and secured their first FIA European Le Mans Series win at Portimao in 2022. That same year, they took their first WEC podium with a P2 finish at the 6 Hours of Monza. 

The Iron Dames took their first victory at the 2023 8 Hours of Bahrain.

They went from strength to strength, becoming the first all-women team to win a WEC race when they took victory at the 8 Hours of Bahrain in 2023, and collected plenty of silverware across their tenure, including a historical Gold Cup victory at the 24 Hours of Spa. Pin secured the 2025 F1 Academy title after a hard fought season with Weug, while Rumeau and Amblard secured an outright rally victory at the Rallye Terre des Causses in 2026, becoming the first all-female pairing to win a round of the French Gravel Rally Championship in 40 years. 

The Dames were the first all-female team to take on the 24 Hours of Spa in 25 years, securing a Gold Cup victory.

It’s safe to say that talent was never the problem.

So, what is the problem? 

Funding. Funding is always the problem. 

Motorsport is expensive, sometimes devastatingly so. Across 2026, we have seen many young drivers of all genders across multiple categories lose their seats due to lack of funding. A racing season in feeder categories can cost upwards of £250,000 - and that’s on the smaller side. 

When announcing that they were pulling out of WEC, the Dames vowed that they move was strategic, aligning with a long-term plan in place for the team, but little has come of it. As the goals of the project changed, the team diverted to driver progression and coaching.

It is important to note that the Iron Dames team are not at fault. Iron Lynx - owned by DC Racing Solutions - has reduced their funding into the project, something that can also be seen across the company's other investments. Iron Lynx has had the majority share of Prema Racing since 2021, and their IndyCar future is still hanging in the balance after funding cuts.

Financial troubles are plaguing Iron Lynx and parent company DC Racing Solutions from all sides, as the Lamborghini Hypercar programme ultimately fell through in late 2024 after disagreements, regulation changes, and other symptoms of expanding too fast. In order to keep the Iron Lynx customer racing programme in partnership with Mercedes-AMG afloat amidst financial disaster, resources were diverted and the problem has snowballed.

These financial missteps are alleged to have killed the Iron Dames WEC entry, with money pivoting elsewhere. Reports suggest that asset auctions took place in order to combat financial setbacks, but the WEC withdrawal and the Prema row signify ongoing strain. 

The Consequences

The fallout has been measured in several different ways, from drivers getting caught up as collateral damage to huge disappointment amongst fans and idolisers of the all-women team. 

The Iron Dames may still be competing, but they are still incredibly missed, with a significantly smaller presence across the grids than before. Not only was it disappointing to see them leave WEC after a five-year run, it was catastrophic. The loss of symbolism alone is a significant blow to the presence of women in motorsport, but to see funds diverted so that paying drivers can compete while pioneers are pushed to the back of the queue is devastating. 

You can continue to watch Dames, past and present, competing, with Martin recently taking the win in the 24 Hours of Barcelona, Pin competing with Duqueine Team in ELMS, and new-Dame Lisa Billard taking on her first F1 Academy campaign. 

Maya Weug competed as an Iron Dames driver in Italian F4.

Other former members haven't been so lucky, with Weug opening up earlier this year about struggling to find a race seat in an emotional Instagram post. Weug explained that she had an exciting 2026 season planned, which ultimately fell through for reasons beyond her control. Career progression is always difficult in motorsport, especially for women, but to see a decorated young driver face such uncertainty is a cruel reality of the industry, and something that lots of drivers under the DC Racing Solutions umbrella could be set to face.

A year on from the WEC withdrawal, we can’t help but feel sad. Sad that such an important asset to women’s motorsport is no longer racing. Sad that paying drivers were given priority. Sad that, in 2026, an all women’s racing team is still a novelty.