For years, motorsports has been a world of speed, skill, and spectacle—but only recently has it started to embrace all who power it. With Pride growing in visibility, the industry is starting to adjust and is opening the door to greater representation and inclusivity. But what about the past? As we trace the roots of Pride in Motorsports, let us explore its history—how it emerged, who helped shape it, and what remains of that legacy today.
What Is Pride?
Pride is a celebration of the LGBTQ+ community and an affirmation of equal rights. Pride Month commemorates the Stonewall Riots—a series of protests that ignited the gay liberation movement in the United States in 1969. It is marked by parades, festivals, rallies, and ongoing advocacy for legal equality and awareness. Whilst the LGBTQ+ community campaigns year-round, Pride Month is a moment when wider society often joins in visible support.
Within motorsports, Pride is beginning to gain visibility through driver support, team-led initiatives, and organisations advocating for LGBTQ+ inclusion across the industry. Once, it was a silent subject; now, it is cautiously emerging into the spotlight. Slowly but steadily, the sport is accelerating towards a more inclusive future.
But it hasn’t always been this way. So where did the industry stand—and what was it like?
A Look Back: LGBTQ+ History in Motorsport
Pride has a discreet and rarely documented past within motorsports, with little open LGBTQ+ representation throughout its history.
In an interview with The Girls Who – Motorsport, former Chief Communications Officer Matt Bishop reflected on the early years, noting that when he became interested in the sport, “almost all the fans were white, heterosexual males.” However, he recognised that legal and social barriers of the time made it significantly harder for LGBTQ+ people to participate openly, limiting the diversity seen in today’s paddock.
Reflecting on her start in motorsport in the 1990s, Aston Martin’s ESG Director Debbie Wall observed that “It wasn’t a thing.” Others have echoed similar sentiments: that while the environment wasn’t overtly hostile, it offered little visible support.
“There is no comparison between now and then. I don’t think it was negative; I don’t think it was positive. It was just not something that was considered at all.”
~ Debbie Wall on inclusion pre-2000s.
Diversity and inclusion—including Pride—weren’t noticeable in the early motorsport landscape for several reasons. Initially, strict laws and social attitudes prevented many from openly expressing who they were. Following this, a lack of visibility meant fewer LGBTQ+ people saw motorsports as a space for them. This reinforced the perception that the sport was built for a narrow demographic.
Whilst the paddock and behind-the-scenes environments were not necessarily hostile, they were far from welcoming. Those within the community led a discreet life, often hiding it when at work. Still, that does not mean they were entirely absent.
Key Figures to Remember
Historically, few drivers in motorsports have been openly LGBTQ+. Many either came out later in life or were ‘semi-closeted’ during their careers. Yet, these individuals remain key figures who helped pave the way. Here are just a few.
Lella Lombardi
Italian driver Lella Lombardi was a pivotal figure in motorsports, especially in Formula One. As the only female driver to ever score points, she is credited with making F1 accessible to women to this day. Lombardi’s legacy as a trailblazer for women continues today. Though she never publicly “came out”, Lombardi was a lesbian and often attended races with her partner, Fiorenza, who she lived with until her death in 1992.
Mike Beuttler
Mike Beuttler is often described as the first openly gay Formula One driver. However, Matt Bishop notes that whilst “it was known in the paddocks and the pit lanes”, Beuttler was closeted publicly. Former Autosport editor, and friend to Buettler, Ian Phillips has also questioned if “anyone really knew”.
Although Beuttler never scored points, he achieved six Top-10 finishes—equivalent to 17 points in today’s scoring system. He raced in Formula One from 1970 to 1973, but little is known about his life after he left the sport—other than that he died from AIDS-related complications in 1988.
Mário de Araújo Cabral
Beuttler was considered the only known LGBTQ+ driver until 2009, when former Portuguese driver Mário de Araújo “Nicha” Cabral came out as bisexual at age 75—45 years after he’d left the sport.
During his active years, Cabral was regarded as Portugal’s outstanding driver of the late 1950s. He competed in five Formula One races but started only four. Joining F1 in 1959, his time was interrupted by National Service; Cabral returned in 1963 for a further 3 races. In 1965, he was seriously injured in the Formula Two Rouen-Les-Essarts Grand Prix, which put his racing on hold until 1968, when he switched to sports cars before completely retiring in 1975.
Roberta Cowell
A lesser-known yet highly significant figure is Roberta Cowell, who had a remarkable career spanning engineering, aviation, and motorsport.
Before her service in the RAF during WWII, Cowell won the Land’s End Speed Trial in a Riley and in 1939 she competed in the Antwerp Grand Prix. After the war, she founded a motor racing team and competed in events across Europe.
In 1951, Cowell underwent gender-affirming surgery and became one of the first known Britons to do so. After coming out, unfortunately, Cowell was unable to keep competing in Grand Prix racing. Still, she continued to be an active driver and flyer—even winning the 1957 Shelsley Walsh Speed Hill Climb.
Roberta Cowell may have raced under her dead name for the majority of her career, but her accomplishments remain significant. As the first known trans woman to compete and win races, her legacy is vital for both for women and the LGBTQ+ community within motorsports history.
The Starting Point
Whilst the figures above are important trailblazers, Matt Bishop notes that “there must have been more over the years who didn’t dare come out.” Drivers like Ralf Schumacher and Hurley Haywood have come out since their retirement—showing that representation existed but was often hidden.
Despite limited historical visibility, these figures help remind us that Pride in motorsports is not a modern-day fad. LGBTQ+ figures have been in the industry since its inception, even if they were forced into silence. Their presence and contributions helped pave the way for the more welcoming environment seen today, and their legacy continues on.
In the beginning, Pride in motorsports fell foul of the politics and social attitudes of the time. But as society shifted, motorsports followed suit. Future articles will explore how the sport has changed and where it stands today.
“It’s the same thing as what happened years and years and years and years ago with being gay: people didn’t want to come out for fear. So they just completely hid it. They’re not; they’re always there. They were just hidden away a lot better than they are now, when it’s a lot more acceptable.”
~ Matthew-Harriet Randall