Female automotive and motorsport executive Beth Paretta has announced the formation of new all female led NTT IndyCar Series team Paretta Autosport, who will make their debut in the 2021 Indianapolis 500. IndyCar veteran and 2010 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Simona De Silvestro piloting the car.
Team Penske will be providing technical support to the team and Chevrolet will be powering the entry. The team comes as a part of IndyCar and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway‘s “Race for Equality & Change” program, to help support inclusivity across the sport.
Paretta Autosport will be providing women with the opportunities to work in the IndyCar field with roles in competition and at the organizational level.
“Today is the beginning of a commitment to gender equity in sport, to encourage women to work hard so they can earn their seat at the table or spot on the grid,” Paretta said.
“IndyCar has been a leader and a welcoming place for women for many years because of the hard work of many women and men before us, but now we have a stronger commitment with IndyCar’s ‘Race for Equality & Change’ to make sure opportunities continue in the future.”
As of the writing of this article, there have been eleven women to compete in the Indianapolis 500, with Danica Patrick holding the record for the highest finish by a woman of third place. Paretta hopes that one day this team can make it to the very top of “The Greatest Specatcle in Racing”.
“Our team, along with our technical alliance with Team Penske, will work hard to give Simona the best car we can provide so she can achieve her best results. Competition drives us. The Indy 500 is the greatest race in the world, and one day soon we hope to have a woman’s face on the Borg-Warner Trophy.”
De Silvestro’s career blossomed as a result of her success in IndyCar, with the thirty-two-year-old Swiss driver having spent time in Australian Supercars, as a Formula One development driver, in Formula E, the IMSA SportsCar Championship and, since 2019, as a factory driver for Porsche. She expressed her excitement to return to the series and is grateful to be a part of the groundbreaking team.
“I am very excited to have this incredible opportunity to return to Indianapolis and the Indy 500 with Paretta Autosport this year,” De Silvestro said.
“My career really took off through my time competing in IndyCar and the Indy 500, so returning to compete with Beth and her new team in alliance with Team Penske is a special and rare chance in my career.”
“Being part of the goal of diversity and inclusion for everyone, and especially women in IndyCar, and in motorsports in general, is very important to me and how I would like to see the future of racing. I want to thank the NTT IndyCar Series for taking such an important leadership role in providing gender and overall diversity inclusion in motorsports.”
The team’s debut at the 105th running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for 30 May, 2021.
