Sofia

Conceptrice Semi-Fini Motorsport, Manufacture Française des Pneumatiques Michelin, MotoE

Interviewed in January 2025

,My nickname at the racetrack is La Sorcière – the witch, and that's meant respectfully, since I can seemingly do many things magically.'

,It can happen that a rider returns from a lap in a rage and – because you happen to be in the pits – throws it in your face: "It's all the fault of your damn shitty tyres!’ You take it, put it in your pocket and wait for the dust to settle before you try to understand what the actual problem is.'

,Looking back on my career, I think it's patience and constant curiosity that have brought me to where I am. But that doesn't make me a role model – that's just a state of mind.'

Marta 

Tyre performance engineer, HCR Racing, WSBK

Interviewed in November 2024

,I have always pushed myself further and further in my life and sought intellectual challenges. My ideal job is the one that makes me go to sleep with my brain fried after a day of work.'

,During my time in Formula E, I had the opportunity to work with the best tyre engineers and differ-ent type of engineers that I could learn a lot from. I remain good friends with them to this day.'

,If any attention at all, I want it because I bloody well achieved a pole position and did my job right – and not because I'm a woman.'

,Friends, family and colleagues may come and go, but what will always be there for you is your own Jimmy Cricket. That's why I got him tattooed.'

Lucìa

Fuel injection engineer, HCR Racing, WSBK

Interviewed in November 2024

,In motorcycle racing, the biggest challenge is often to find out where the real problem lies. With the rider or with the bike? That means we have to be very honest with each other – we as technicians and he as a rider.'

,One of my highlight moments was when I was with the Stop and Go Team in the Moto 2 World Championship, we were in the front row at the start in Qatar.  The cameras are buzzing around you; you look into the first corner and there's no one in front of you, there's nothing, just the tarmac: it's just magical.'

,I don't think I'm special. It's just my job. My sister, for example, she’s a psychologist, and when she tells people what she does, they don’t always react with ‘wow, that’s amazing!’ But for me, she’s special, and she impresses me every day.'

,And you have to sacrifice a lot of things to work in this field. You can't say, Ah, no, this Saturday is my daughter's birthday and I won't be able to go to the race.’ No! You go to the race; that's just the way it is.'

 Sabine

Technical scrutineer, Austrian Motorsports Federation, FIM, F1 Academy, Mini GP Austria Series

Ducati Monster 821

Interviewed in October 2024

Alessandra

Data analyst, 511 Racing & Pro Dina Racing, Team Co-Owner Xgear, WorldWCR, WorldSupersport 300

Interviewed in November 2024

,You can't learn the important things from books. You just  have to get in there and do lots of races and spend lots of days at the racetrack.'

,My job is always a journey, it is constantly evolving, if only because of the rapidly changing technologies. When I get up in the morning, I look forward to making things even better.'

,When I go to the world championships, my husband stays with the little one. He is the first to support me in this job, also with the family.'

,What I would like to pass on to my daughter is that if she does something with passion, she will give her best and that's when the best comes out.'

Mathilde

Engine engineer, Kawasaki Racing Team, Akira Technologies, WSBK

Kawasaki R6F

Interviewed in October 2024

,As soon as I'm not feeling well, I get on my motorbike and go for a ride. Not to drive fast, but just to be on the motorbike. It's something that makes me feel butterflies in my stomach. It brings out the kid in me.'

,In our racing team, it doesn't matter at all whether I'm a man or a woman. Everyone's opinion is heard. What counts is what you can do.'

,I have learned that the unspoken can quickly become real problem, not only in racing.'

,When a rider comes back and complains about a particular noise from the engine, I have to ask as many questions as possible to understand exactly what they felt.'

Mara

Tyre Specialist, Kawasaki Racing Team, WSBK

Interviewed in October 2024

,My passion is racing. I love the world of racing, the atmosphere, the big family that comes together there. The adrenaline of racing is like a drug, it makes you addicted.'

,You could say that I've achieved what I wanted to. But I don't see myself as special or anything. A career like this is damn hard work. You have to ask a lot of questions, be willing to learn and be prepared to invest a lot of your life.'

,Don't be fooled because people say it's a world of men, women or whatever. The world belongs to everyone and if you really want something, fight for it and you will get there with effort.'

,Sometimes, when I have a bit of time to myself after a session and walk around the racetrack in the evening, for example, I realise again that I am living my dream.'

Lucia

Tyre Specialist, Motocorsa Racing Team, WSBK

Interviewed in September 2024

,If you think about it, it's a kind of romantic story in the end. I've always wanted to do this job and now I'm doing it.'

,Just the thought of going to the racetrack puts a smile on my face.'

,Maybe there's something heavier to move, but you don't have to do how-knows-what, you move motorbikes. There aren't really any big differences, men do it the same way as women.'

,The world of racing, the adrenaline and being part of the team can take over completely. That means I have to be able to separate work and passion, to switch off, so as not to lose everything I have out there.'

Lucrezia

Mechanic, 511 Racing Team, WorldWCR

Touring: Moto Guzzi SP 1000, from 1983 | Street: Beta 125 KTM Track:  Yamaha YZ 426 F, 

Interwieved in October 2024

,I used to do mixed martial arts and thanks to the competitions, I learned how to deal with my emotions and how far I could go. And even though my job as a race mechanic is about different situations, I still know where my limits are and sometimes how I can exceed them.'

,When I was confronted with criticism or difficulties, I just kept going with a smile, because I knew what I was capable of and that you learn something new every day.'

,The cooperation with my teammates is incredibly relaxed. We are an all-female team and have always got on very well. Everyone dares to ask questions and immediately admits when they don't know something. And then there is always another one of us who does know something, so we can solve the problem together.'

Aurora

Tyre specialist, Pro Dina Racing, WSBK

Suzuki RM 125 (first bike) 

Interviewed in August 2024

,I always say the tyres are like my children, sono le mie figlie, le chiamo così, I take very good care of them.'

,Racing is a very isolated world. You will never see an advert saying, ‘Wanted: motorcycle racing mechanics’; you will only ever find someone who says, ‘I have a friend who has a friend who is looking for someone if you want to come along’.

,And even though my teacher at school had said that I was nowhere near good enough to make it, I ended up going to the International Racing School in Modena'

,There are still a lot of prejudices and often they are overwhelmed by what to do with a little girl as enthusiastic as me. Sometimes I've been confronted with very nasty things.'

Federica

Mechanic, HRC TEAM GARIBOLDI RACING, MXGP

Interviewed in August 2024

,I am precise and systematic. I like to work in a precise way, and I like order, even if I'm not so tidy at home. My mother is always complaining about me. But at work I am precise and sys-tematic. Things have to be done in a certain way and that's it, that's how it stays.'

,I always worked, watched and tried things out for myself. What I have learned to this day is the result of a lot of time and practice, not because I learned it at school.'

,If I'm accepted for who I am, great; if not, that's just the way it is. I have to like myself the way I am, I don't have to change to please others.'

,Yeah, I get stopped and get compliments because I'm the only woman in our team. But for me, the real highlights are when my team, and especially the racers who choose me, want to continue working with me.'

Vee

Motorsports Technical & Sporting Official, Sporting steward and Scrutineer FIA, FIM, ASN, EMSO, Member of the International Technical Commission (CTI), FIM, amateur racing athlete

Honda CBR 600 RR

Interviewed in June 2024

,Of course, you have the rulebook, which, depending on the discipline, can easily be 400 pages thick. But you learn the actual things because you pursue them further on your own initiative.'

,I work a lot remotely when I'm on the travel and most of my vacation days are used up for racing. I know that I have to sacrifice a lot of things and set priorities because of that. But I made that choice consciously.'

,Today I am certified by the FIM for all motorsport disciplines, and I am also a member of the FIM Technical Commission. As I later learned, I am the first female member of the technical commission in three decades.'

Midori

Team Owner & Director, MIE Racing, PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team, WSBK, WorldSSP

Suszuki Goose 250 (first bike)

Interviewed in June 2024

,My parents, my grandparents and the employees were all very friendly and kind people at home and in the workshop, but when it came to the race, their faces suddenly became very serious, very focused and you were no longer allowed to talk to them. I wanted to be part of this environment, where everyone is so focused.'

,you have to convince with facts and figures, otherwise no top management will get involved in a MotoGP project. Passion alone does not sell, you have to make the business benefit clear to your partner and thus build a long-term collaboration.'

,But I don't care what others say about me. I always say: you can't expect other people to think like you. They're not me, so they don't understand what I do. You just have to keep going, never give up. That's the most important thing.'

,Developing the industry for the future is what I'm still working on.'

Merci

Master Student, Tyre specialist, YART Racing, EWC Series

Enduro: KTM 125 EXC | Supermoto track: Husqvarna FS 450 Street: KTM 790 Duke | Tour: KTM 890 SMT & KTM 530 EXC

Interviewed in May 2024

,First time EWC at Spa: It was a wonderful day, I was on a world famous circuit with great people, the bikes were whizzing around and I was a little cog in the wheel, making sure our bike set one fastest time after another. I was in heaven moon that day and knew I wanted to do this for the rest of my life!'

,Keyword family. It's not just during the race that everyone works perfectly together, but also before and especially after the sessions, everyone sits down together, has a drink and we have interesting conversations. I like to call it quality time'

,If motorbikes weren't my passion, I would hardly volunteer for a 24-hour race!'

,When I have three times as many things to do as I can manage in one day, that's when I'm happiest, because then I can really get stuck in and I'm never bored. That's when I have the most fun.'

Melissa

Team Owner, MP13 Racing, ex-racing athlete

Track: Yamaha R1 | MX: Yamaha YZ250F & YZ125 | Flat track: YZ450F and TTR125

Interviewed in April 2024

,In racing I found a thing that can - all the demons inside of me, it gives them a healthy place to play. That feeling when you're on the bike, you can't replicate that, but it's the only time I can get all the voices to shut up in my head.'

,I just want to win, it just feels good, man. It feels so good when you win a race, and you're just chasing that high all the time, once you feel it, like it's, I imagine it's the same thing like drugs. I want to see a bike that I built sitting in winner's circle. And I want to say hey, I did that.'

,I have the benefit of a pretty cool education in racing: my husband was a top-level racer and I was allowed to sit in, while he was talking with his crew chief for years. like a fly on the wall in really high level debriefs. They were thinking, Oh, it's just his wife, we can say anything she's not listening. I learned a lot like that.'

,I really had to explain to people: She's not bossy. She's a manager, you know? I mean, that's her job. She isn't "bossy"... She is the boss.'

Chloé

Motorsports performance analyst, Michelin Race & Data Engineer & Owner, UniCAL RACING, amateur racing athlete

Track: Yamaha R6 | KTM Super Moto | MX snow bike

Interviewed in March 2024

,At the age of 11, I was convinced I wanted to go to the Ecole Polytechnique or a Military Grande Ecoletechnical university and then join the air force. I wanted to fly aeroplanes. I wanted to do a boy's job. I loved Indiana Jones and did a lot of judo to a very advanced level.'

,Once you've reached a certain level, it can be's almost an asset to beeasier as a woman. There aren't that many women after that. You really are in the minority, but you're a competent minority that people remember.'

,It was pretty cool to collect the team the championship trophy on behalf of our team last season and to stand on the podium for what I do for a living. I love the idea of being on the podium and celebrating victories. Victories that we have fought for together.'

,My partner shares my passion for motorbikes. And even if we decide to do absolutely nothing on a weekend, it doesn't last long, and everyone is back at his project in the workshop. It's a luxury that we can combine our jobs and hobbies so well.'

Julia

Owner and Co-Director, Schwabenleder, amateur racing athlete

Track: Yamaha R6

Interviewed in February 2024

,My profession doesn't exist in itself. There is no such thing as a bespoke tailor who works exclusively with leather and produces technical clothing. It is really just learning by doing. Vocational school wasn't easy for me either, because I had to sew men's jackets and women's skirts and then when I was back here at home, I had to make a racing suit.'

,For me, passion in something is when I am doing something and I'm happy every millisecond of the time. And the cherry on the cake is this indescribable feeling of freedom - because you're simply at peace with yourself.'

,If you stay brave and try really hard, you'll keep going. And then the obstacle is overcome at some point and then everything is fine again.'

,I'm simply not afraid of falling and not afraid of pain, and I ride my motorbike accordingly. Always at the limit.'

Beatriz

Software Engineer, KTM Racing

Interviewed in February 2024

,We always work on the lap time. Everything that we do is to go faster. This is the important thing. This is our target. It doesn't have to be beautiful or nice. It has to be faster, allow the rider to go faster, allow the technician, the engineers that are working there, to be faster. Sometimes they just have some seconds to analyze, to decide and to apply.'

,There are some obstacles that you don't need to overcome. You just need to ignore them: When I was applying for a job. I received a note and the reason was no, because you are a woman and mechanics can get distracted in the garage. So what can you answer? There is no reply in this situation. You just say, okay, this is not a battle to fight.'

,When we speak, we are not learning anything because it's something that we already know, but when we are listening, we are learning.'

,My job is my passion, and my passion is my job. It's something that you feel when you speak about motorcycling, it’s this kind of adrenaline that you have when you are in this world. I love the adrenaline in every fight and every race. I mean, it's my engine, I can't live without this.'

Emilie

Data engineer for Microlise Cresswell Racing & former race mechanic in the Moto Rapido Ducati British Superbike team, British Talent Cup

Yamaha FZR 400RR | Ducati Monster | Street: Suzuki GS 500

Interviewed in January 2024

,My grandfather was a Grand Prix racer in the 1950s, racing at circuits like the Isle of Man TT, the equivalent of MotoGP. That was my mom's father. She's had this crazy motorsport upbringing, and it's kind of just filtered down, I guess. So yeah, it felt like that's where I should be.'

,As a mechanic it's really important to have a good relationship with your rider, because you don't want to be a distraction at all. You almost want to be invisible for them.'

,I am a real believer of “if people can see it, they can be it”, and that’s why I try to volunteer as much time as I can to really promote women in engineering.'

,I will never stop until the job is done. I would just stay there, making sure it was done and check stuff meticulously, because I never wanted something that I oversaw to be a problem. I guess is probably why I've become an engineer now.'

Säri

Construction Engineer, Breaks and Wheels, Research and Development, KTM & amateur racing athlete

Track: Suzuki GSXR 600 | Street: Suzuki Gladius SV 650

Interviewed in January 2024

,When I arrive at the racetrack with a beer, nobody thinks I'm an engineer. I always say something, like saleswoman. I just enjoy making fun of people because it's this typical cliché that you can't be a woman, know engineering and ride a motorbike.'

,I'm someone who doesn't like to give up. If I put my mind to it, I have to finish it.'

,There are just a lot of people here who love the smell of petrol & are oily-happy and just enjoy life'

,I've known since I was 14 that I wanted to study mechanical engineering and it's always been a bit of a dream to work in the motorbike sector. I also said as a child that I would move to Austria one day.'

Lucie

Planning & Order Manager, Polestar Switzerland, former Race mechanic, Hess Racing

Interviewed in December 2023

,Passion is a mixture of emotions - the emotions that make me feel alive.'

,I don't really care what people think, it was so natural for me to go this way. I just do my thing.'

,Riding a motorbike is not something I discovered by chance one day, it's something that's always been in me.'

,When you see your rider pull into the pits during the race and you hear the engine rattling, you have to accept that. It's part of the game.'

Michelle

Independent Suspension Mechanic, Stäger Suspension

Cross: Yamaha 250 4T Cross | Honda 250 2T CR | Suzuki 250 2T RM

Interviewed in November 2023

,Suspensions is a topic in itself. You have to know your way around it and I think that's cool, you know, you just need the experience and you only get that over the years.'

,When someone comes in with a problem and they go out, they go on a ride and come back and say hey, that's world class. This joy, this happiness in the heart. That's why customer feedback is important to me, whether it's positive or negative, you can always learn from it.'

,I've been passionate about motorbikes since I was little, I learnt to ride when I was six, I don't know any other way, I couldn't imagine being without a motorbike.'

,. ... and I was sitting there at the racetrack and I realised, hey shit, I really missed it!'

Anna

Working Student at FEV (Drive development), motorcycle division, engine application

Bike: Honda CBR 600RR PC 40

Interviewed in August 2023

,I'm a person who likes to know exactly what's going on and I think the more you get into it, the more interesting and exciting it is.'

,I don't think there are many people who have decided to go into motorbike development just to spend their days in the office. They all have a passion for the product and the lifestyle somewhere.'

,You also have to do things that are not in your comfort zone, simply try things out, make your own decisions and see things through yourself.'

,Although I feel very comfortable in a male environment, it would actually be really nice to have a few more women in the profession who are also passionate about the subject.'

Jenny

Mechanic,alpha Racing & amateur racing athlete

Street: Husqvarna NUDA 900 / Husqvarna 510 SM - Track: Yamaha R6

Interviewed in August 2023

,... she's got the transponder from her boyfriend anyway - yeah, if that's the case then my boyfriend would have to take the transponder from me'

,I try to be as sensible as possible in my life and also in the race, I always try to calculate everything 100%, what pays off and what doesn't? If I see the risk is too high, I don't do it'

,Apparently, I'm a person who brakes very little. Well, according to my brake pads, that's really the case, because I've had them in my racing bike for three years and then only throw them out because of my conscience.'

,I just have the riding style, I don't leave the throttle open for so long and I brake less. But I carry a lot of speed into the bend. I have so much confidence in the front wheel that I can do that.'