Simona De Silvestro is the first woman to join Porsche’s factory driver squad in 2019. In addition to GT racing, she is primarily a test and development driver in the Zuffenhausen-based Formula E team. The Swiss ventured to the USA early in her career and attracted attention there, particularly in the Indycar series. She achieved a fastest race lap and finished on the podium for the first time in 2013. Since she got back into the race car in May 2011 after a spectacular fire accident in practice for the legendary Indianapolis 500, despite burns on her hands, and made it into qualifying one day later, she has been given the appreciative nickname “Iron Maiden” (“Iron Maiden”), which she likes much better than “Swiss Miss” before. After her U.S. years, she moved to Formula E, where she became the first and so far only woman to score points, and most recently spent three years as a regular driver in the popular V8 supercar series in Australia. Last week, Simona De Silvestro visited the ROWE RACING team seat in St. Ingbert for the first time during her seat fitting together with Timo Bernhard. In addition, the Swiss got an exclusive tour through the halls of ROWE MINERALÖLWERK GMBH in Worms. Here she was able to gain an insight into the work of the lubricant specialists, from the laboratory to the mixing and filling area.

Hans-Peter Naundorf, Team Principal ROWE RACING: “For our home race in the GT World Challenge Endurance Cup at the Nürburgring, the entry of this second Porsche 911 GT3 R is a great addition. For us, it’s a unique opportunity to get Timo Bernhard in one of our cars. We’ve been in contact for almost 20 years, if only because of our proximity in Saarland. But so far Timo has always been tied to other manufacturers or teams. I’m delighted that this unique constellation is now working out again after his career has come to an end. I’m also very excited about Simona De Silvestro, who has already competed in many different categories in her career and has put many an exclamation mark on her career. We are very happy that she will be the first woman to compete in a GT3 car at ROWE RACING. I personally experienced that women in motorsport don’t have to hide behind their male colleagues during my DTM time in the successful collaboration with Susie Wolff.”

Simona De Silvestro, #98 ROWE RACING Porsche 911 GT3 R: “I’m really looking forward to my first race with Timo in the Porsche 911 GT3 R from ROWE RACING. This is something very special for me – I never thought I’d be sharing a cockpit with him. Now I can’t wait for us to contest the six-hour race at the Nürburgring together in the GT World Challenge.”

Timo Bernhard, #98 ROWE RACING Porsche 911 GT3 R: “This is a real premiere: Normally Simona fights for points in the ADAC GT Masters for my own team, KÜS Team75 Bernhard. Now the two of us are competing together for the first time. I hold Simona in very high regard as a racing driver and have of course followed her career steps. Among other things, I can still remember her races in the North American IndyCar Series. With the upcoming race in the Porsche 911 GT3 R from ROWE RACING, I’m not celebrating a comeback, but am simply happy about the opportunity to start together with Simona.”