Frustrated. Restless. Stressed.
The emotions were palpable on Indy 500 qualifying day. Simona De Silvestro, the lone woman on this year’s entry list, was one of the last drivers to attempt to qualify. She hasn’t competed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2015, and now six years later, the Switzerland native was trying to make IndyCar history as part of the women-led team, Paretta Autosport.
“I think a lot of younger women, girls, don't realize that it's an opportunity because you turn on the TV, and [see] a bunch of dudes dinking around on cars,” says Andra Buzatu, a mechanic for Paretta who spent four years in the Coast Guard.