Maserati Women’s Drive Summit celebrates women in motorsport

Maserati held the Women’s Drive Summit at Goodwood, honoring Maria Teresa de Filippis and highlighting its racing heritage and role of women in motorsport.

Maserati brought more than a line-up of cars to the Goodwood circuit — it presented a statement that motorsport history and its future cannot be understood without women. The occasion combined two milestones: the 100th anniversary of Maria Teresa de Filippis’ birth and a century of the brand’s racing heritage.

The inaugural Women’s Drive Summit gathered an all-female audience, from professional drivers to figures across the automotive industry. Set at the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit, participants not only reflected on women’s roles in motorsport but also took to the track. They drove current Maserati models including the GranTurismo Trofeo, GranCabrio Trofeo, Grecale Trofeo and MCPura, supported by an all-female team of professional racing drivers. Alongside them stood the MCXtrema, a track-focused car highlighting the brand’s pursuit of performance at its highest level.

At the centre of the event was Maria Teresa de Filippis, the first woman to race in a Formula 1 World Championship Grand Prix. In 1958, she competed in a Maserati 250F — one of the defining cars of its era, also associated with championship-winning success. Her best result, 10th place at the Belgian Grand Prix, may seem modest today, but at the time it marked a breakthrough in a sport where female participation was extremely rare. Only a handful of women have appeared in Formula 1 history, and de Filippis was the first to do so.

This historical reference connects directly to Maserati’s origins. In 1926, the brand debuted at the Targa Florio with the Tipo 26, winning its class and establishing the foundation of its racing identity. A century later, Maserati is once again reinforcing its presence in motorsport through its GT2 programme, returning to competition in closed-wheel racing and extending its track-focused activities.

The Women’s Drive Summit reflects this broader direction. It complements internal initiatives such as the BRG Donna, introduced in 2025 to support female talent and professional development within the company. At the same time, Maserati continues to emphasise how racing expertise feeds into its road cars, maintaining a clear link between competition and production.

By bringing these elements together, Maserati reframes its heritage as something active rather than archival. The story of de Filippis is not only a tribute, but also a reference point — from the first woman on a Formula 1 grid to a present where the brand seeks to expand women’s visibility across the automotive world.