Twenty-five-year-old Lilou Wadoux was the first official female Ferrari factory Endurance driver; the France native also made history as the first woman to win a FIA World Endurance Championship. A friend of Swiss watchmaker Richard Mille, she shares with Robb Report the mindset of an endurance race-car driver.
Tennis was my main sport for around eight years until I started go-karting at age 15. We went to a track close to my parents’ home in the north of France, outside Paris. My father has always loved motorsport and he imparted that passion onto me. We went to the track every week and at age 16 I participated in the Peugeot 208 Racing Cup—then the Renault Clio Cup and Alpine Elf Europa Cup.
I love speed and adrenalineand the idea of having to fight for something, which is the case for any sport. Training for an endurance race is both physical and mental. I train physically every day. After you spend about two or more hours racing in a car, it’s quite difficult on the body, especially with the high temperatures.
But pushing oneself physically requires a strong mental state too, especially when you come upon a bad situation. Luckily, I have a small group of really good people around me that help me to feel well—my family, friends and my manager. They all help me stay positive.
Endurance racing is special because you have to share a car and a team. We are around 15 people for one car—three drivers, two to four engineers and 10 mechanics. For me, it’s important to share what you like and want. When you lose, you lose together—but when you win, you win together too. Compromise among 15 people is never easy, but it’s good to share tips and build something amazing to win a race.
Mistakes and penalties are part of the job, and sometimes there are penalties you cant avoid. This happened at my recent win at the 12 Hours of Sebring, which is not an easy track because you’re racing between walls. In endurance racing, one of the key elements is not to make mistakes but also be intelligent enough to analyse a situation. Or despite a big setback, remembering that the race is not yet finished and that you can still push and be better, and finish fourth instead of seventh, for example.
In the end, I want to be compared to the other driversand not just recognised for being a woman. The achievement is winning—and celebrating all those who worked to achieve that win—rather than being the first woman. If we can do anything to improve female representation in motorsport, it’s to prove that women can be great drivers and win races, while encouraging girls to start early in the sport with karting.
I’ve been a Ferrari driver for five years now, which feels more normal for me these days. When my appointment first happened, it was like fulfilling a childhood dream—it was so special. I am proud of this, and super happy to be part of the family, which is a big family of Italian guys plus those from other countries too.
