Fiction and Reality: Real Women in Motorsport vs. Pop Culture Depictions

Photo credits to: Clive Rose, Aston Martin, Clive Rose, Indycar, Terrell Maxwell, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, ABC Family, Walt Disney Studios,

Motorsport has always been the perfect stage for thrilling stories—both in real life and on screen. The image of the daring racer, defying speed limits and pushing boundaries, handling normal life with the racetrack, is a favourite in pop culture. Yet, when it comes to women in motorsport, fiction and reality often tell two very different stories.

While it’s true that real female racers have been breaking barriers and redefining their roles in the sport for decades, their portrayals in movies, TV, and books don’t always match up to that standard. Many fictional depictions fall into outdated stereotypes or fail to demonstrate the complexity of what it is to be a woman in motorsport.

Are movies and television shows generally accurate when it comes to racing? Every motorsport fan can tell you they’re not. But beyond the question of whether racing dynamics and gear are portrayed on screen as it is in real life, the overarching narratives pop culture tells about women in motorsport are doubly damaging.

Credit: Extreme E

Thrilling History: Real Women in Motorsport

Women have been part of motorsport since its early days, even when the sport was seen as exclusively male territory. Pioneers like Maria Teresa de Filippis, the first woman to race in Formula 1 in 1958, and Mary McGee, a motorcycle racing legend, proved that skill and determination outweigh gender roles.

Today hundreds of racers continue to challenge the idea that motorsport is only for men, and they face significant hurdles while doing so – from limited sponsorship opportunities to fewer seats in top series, and a long-standing culture that still sees them as an anomaly rather than the norm.

Despite these challenges, we have more chances to applaud the successes of women racers every year. They prove that talent and perseverance can break down barriers, and with new initiatives like F1 Academy, designed to develop young female talent, they are also pushing for a future where women have more representation at all levels of the sport.

Credit: Universal Pictures

Pop Culture’s Take: Are Fictional Female Racers Realistic?

On the flip side of reality, pop culture depictions of women in motorsport have often been one-dimensional. Fictional female racers tend to fall into a few common stereotypes:

1. The Token Woman:

Many films and TV shows feature just one female driver, reinforcing the idea that a woman in motorsport is a rare exception rather than part of a growing movement. Think of the beloved anime turned Movie Speed Racer (2008), who millions of kids grew up with. The character of Trixie is the only notable female in a male-dominated world, whose jealousy when her boyfriend looks at other girls is used for comic relief throughout.

2. Love Interest First, Racer Second:

Some movies reduce female racers to romantic subplots rather than focusing on their careers. In Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) the female driver’s role is more about being the protagonist’s love interest than showcasing herself as a part of the sport. And most of the women in the iconic Fast & Furious saga, even when the actresses who play them are established and inspiring figures, are love interests.

3. The “Exceptionally Gifted” Trope:

Instead of normalising women in motorsport, some fictional stories present female racers as extraordinary cases with almost superhuman abilities. While celebrating talent is great, this framing can unintentionally reinforce the idea that women with racing talent are creatures from outside this world, whereas men are allowed to be extraordinary as a given fact.

4. The “One of the Dudes” Character:

When we do see a fully accepted woman in a racing story, who is nobody’s girlfriend or sidekick, the fact that she is a woman just seems to disappear. She must be a bro, to hate all things girly. The nuance of how complex it is to be a woman and a racer is never there, yet we applaud the depth of stories about men’s racing in films like Rush (2013).

5. The Problem with Oversexualisation:

An obvious problem in pop culture generally is how sexualised women are, and racing pop culture is no exception. From manga to animation, television, and film; the attractive girl around the racetrack is a well-established trope. One that, in our opinion, very poorly reflects the actual women who spend their lives on track.

Why These Differences Matter

While fictional stories are meant to entertain, they also influence perceptions, especially at a young age. If pop culture only portrays women in motorsport as rare or struggling to prove themselves, or laughable, it reinforces outdated stereotypes. There are many women competing, engineering, and leading in motorsport today, but their stories and influence rarely get the same treatment that men do in racing pop culture.

These fictional depictions can affect young girls considering motorsport as a career and the young boys who meet them on track. If they grow up seeing limited or inaccurate representations of female racers, they might assume that pursuing a role in motorsport is unattainable, or that they somehow deserve secondary treatment.

Closing the Gap: A More Realistic Future

Fortunately, motorsport storytelling is evolving. Documentaries like Beyond Driven (2019) and Motorcycle Mary (2024), or dramas like Heart Like a Wheel (1983) and even the comedic Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005) shed light on real women in racing, and social media and platforms like ours have given female racers a place to share their journeys firsthand. With more initiatives supporting women in the sport, the future looks promising.

For pop culture to better reflect reality, there needs to be a shift in storytelling—more female racers as central characters, fewer clichéd narratives, and an acknowledgement of the diverse roles women play in motorsport, both on and off the track.

The real women of motorsport don’t just exist in the background, they are front and centre, shaping the industry. It’s time for fiction to catch up and give us the stories we dearly want to see.