Iron Dames to Adopt Mixed-Gender Approach

Iron Dames will move away from its all-female driver lineup approach in favor of its drivers competing in mixed crews in 2026, with Michelle Gatting set to contest next month’s Michelin 24H Dubai with Pure Rxcing.

Announced on Tuesday, Gatting, a Porsche-contracted driver, will share the No. 92 Porsche 911 GT3 Evo with Alex Malykhin, Max Hofer and Alexey Nesov for the Middle Eastern enduro, which takes place on Jan. 16-18.

Gatting’s 24H Dubai debut comes as part of a larger shift for the Iron Dames initiative.

Its drivers will no longer solely compete in all-female lineups but instead step into mixed-gender crews, which has been described as “a positive step forward, driven by performance and opportunity.”

The move comes after the program ended its involvement in the FIA World Endurance Championship, IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and European Le Mans Series amidst financial difficulties for parent company DC Racing Solutions.

No details have yet been released on the programs of other Iron Dames-supported drivers, such as the likes of Celia Martin or Sarah Bovy.