Sarah Bovy

Sarah Bovy
Bovy in 2023
NationalityBelgium Belgian
Born (1989-05-15) 15 May 1989 (age 34)
Liège, Belgium
FIA World Endurance Championship career
Debut season2021
Current teamIron Dames
Racing licence FIA Bronze
Car number85
Starts17
Wins1
Poles5
Best finish2nd in 2023
24 Hours of Le Mans career
Years2021–2023
TeamsIron Dames (2021–2023)
Best finish4th (2023)
Class wins0

Sarah Bovy (born 15 May 1989 in Liège[1]) is a Belgian female racing driver. She has recently competed with the Iron Dames team in multiple series, including the FIA World Endurance Championship and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Biography

Following two years in karting, Bovy began her racing career as a Formula Renault Academy driver in Formula Renault 1.6 Belgium. Former Formula One driver Thierry Boutsen took her under his wing as part of his team, and began an association with the Boutsen-Ginion squad that saw her race in GT, touring car and silhouette racing disciplines before taking a year's break in 2014 due to a lack of funding and undertook a Bachelor of Marketing course.[2]

Bovy returned to the sport in 2015, gaining the funding to complete a full season in the Renault Sport Trophy. She yielded a podium in her home race at Spa-Francorchamps before falling back into a part-time endurance campaign in 2016.[3] The next two seasons would see her align with Lamborghini, contesting the 2017 Super Trofeo Europe Championship – finishing 14th in the Pro-Am class – and various endurance races in 2018, finishing second in class at the 2018 24 Hours of Spa.[4][5]

In 2019, Bovy applied for entry into the women's only Formula 3 championship W Series. She was accepted as one of the series' reserve drivers, and would be called upon on three occasions – the first time in her home race at Zolder where she failed to start with technical issues; again in Misano following injury for regular driver Emma Kimiläinen, finishing 12th; and also in the final round of the championship at Brands Hatch, ending the race 19th after sustaining front-wing damage in the early laps. She scored no points and was the penultimate driver in the standings.[6]

Iron Dames

In 2021, Bovy would join the Iron Dames to compete in the opening rounds of the Michelin Le Mans Cup alongside Doriane Pin.[7] The same year, she would also drive in two rounds of the GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup, before being introduced into the team's WEC roster for the final four rounds of the campaign, replacing Manuela Gostner.[8][9]

The following year saw the Belgian team up with Rahel Frey and Michelle Gatting to contest a full season in the LMGTE Am class of the World Endurance Championship, as well as racing in the European Le Mans Series and GTWC Europe Endurance Cup.[10][11] During the WEC campaign, Bovy became the first woman to claim a pole position in the series' history, qualifying first at both Monza and Bahrain.[12][13] Additionally, podiums in the final three races of the season helped the #85 Dames crew to finish third in the teams' championship. Adding to Bovy's successful year, the Dames would win the Gold Cup at the 24 Hours of Spa as well as finishing third overall in the ELMS, as a Bovy pole position was converted to victory at the Algarve.[14][15]

Bovy returned to the Iron Dames roster for another WEC season in 2023, this time switching from the Ferrari 488 GTE Evo to a Porsche 911 RSR-19.[16] The season opener at Sebring began strongly, with Bovy taking pole position, though an off by Frey which damaged the car's diffuser and floor would curtail any hopes of a maiden victory.[17] Despite not scoring pole in Portugal, a clean race enabled the #85 team to take their first podium of the year, finishing third.[18] Further top five finishes followed at Spa and Le Mans, where Bovy and her teammates narrowly missed out on a podium due to a slow final stop.[19] Bovy scored her second pole of the year in Monza and led the race during the opening stint, before the team fell back to fifth by the checkered flag.[20]

Racing record

Racing career summary

Bovy competing in the 2019 W Series Brands Hatch round
Season Series Team Races Wins Poles F/Laps Podiums Points Position
2005 Formula Renault 1.6 Belgium Thierry Boutsen Racing ? ? ? ? ? 0 NC
2010 Belgian Touring Car Series - T3 DTC Team 2 0 0 0 1 28 18th
2012 Blancpain Endurance Series - Pro-Am Boutsen Ginion Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2013 Blancpain Endurance Series - Pro-Am GPR AMR 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2015 Renault Sport Trophy - Prestige Monlau Competición 2 0 0 1 1 19 11th
24H Series - A3T Team Altran
2016 Lamborghini Super Trofeo Europe - Pro-Am Leipert Motorsport 10 0 0 0 0 16 14th
Touring Car Endurance Series - A3 Team Altran Peugeot
24H Series - A3
2017 Blancpain GT Series Endurance Cup Attempto Racing 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Intercontinental GT Challenge 1 0 0 0 0 0 NC
2018-19 Asian Le Mans Series - LMP3 N24 1 0 0 0 0 6 12th
2019 W Series Hitech GP 2 0 0 0 0 0 19th
2021 Le Mans Cup - GT3 Iron Lynx 2 0 0 0 2 36 10th
European Le Mans Series - LMGTE 2 0 0 0 2 30 14th
FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am 4 0 0 0 0 30 14th
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup 2 0 0 0 0 17 23rd
2022 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am Iron Dames 5 0 2 0 3 92 5th
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup 5 0 0 0 0 0 NC
Intercontinental GT Challenge 1 0 0 0 0 0 *
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 7th
European Le Mans Series - LMGTE Iron Lynx 6 1 1 1 2 70 3rd
2023 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGTE Am Iron Dames 7 1 3 0 2 118 2nd
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD 2 0 0 0 0 368 45th
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup 5 0 0 0 0 0 NC
GT World Challenge Europe Endurance Cup - Bronze Cup 0 1 0 0 10 24th
24 Hours of Le Mans - LMGTE Am 1 0 0 0 0 N/A 4th
2024 FIA World Endurance Championship - LMGT3 Iron Dames 1 0 0 0 0 6* 8th*
IMSA SportsCar Championship - GTD 2 0 0 0 0 391 16th*
European Le Mans Series - LMGT3 1 0 1 0 0 1 10th*

* Season still in progress.

Complete W Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 DC Points
2019 Hitech GP HOC ZOL
DNS 		MIS
12 		NOR ASS BRH
19 		19th 0

Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results

Bovy competing in the 2022 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Year Team Co-Drivers Car Class Laps Pos. Class
Pos.
2021 Italy Iron Lynx Switzerland Rahel Frey
Denmark Michelle Gatting 		Ferrari 488 GTE Evo GTE
Am 		332 36th 9th
2022 Italy Iron Dames Switzerland Rahel Frey
Denmark Michelle Gatting 		Ferrari 488 GTE Evo GTE
Am 		339 40th 7th
2023 Italy Iron Dames Switzerland Rahel Frey
Denmark Michelle Gatting 		Porsche 911 RSR-19 GTE
Am 		312 30th 4th

Complete European Le Mans Series results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; results in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Class Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rank Points
2021 Iron Lynx LMGTE Ferrari 488 GTE Evo Ferrari F154CB 3.9 L Turbo V8 CAT RBR LEC MNZ SPA
3 		ALG
3 		14th 30
2022 Iron Lynx LMGTE Ferrari 488 GTE Evo Ferrari F154CB 3.9 L Turbo V8 LEC
4 		IMO
8 		MNZ
5 		CAT
Ret 		SPA
2 		ALG
1 		3rd 70
2024 Iron Dames LMGT3 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 Lamborghini DGF 5.2 L V10 CAT
Ret 		LEC
 IMO
 SPA
 MUG
 ALG
 10th* 1*

* Season still in progress.

Complete FIA World Endurance Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position) (Races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Class Car Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Rank Points
2021 Iron Lynx LMGTE Am Ferrari 488 GTE Evo Ferrari F154CB 3.9 L Turbo V8 SPA ALG MNZ
8 		LMS
6 		FUJ
8 		BHR
8 		14th 30
2022 Iron Dames LMGTE Am Ferrari 488 GTE Evo Ferrari F154CB 3.9 L Turbo V8 SEB
5 		SPA LMS
6 		MNZ
2 		FUJ
2 		BHR
3 		5th 92
2023 Iron Dames LMGTE Am Porsche 911 RSR-19 Porsche 4.2 L Flat-6 SEB
8 		ALG
3 		SPA
5 		LMS
4 		MNZ
5 		FUJ
4 		BHR
1 		2nd 118
2024 Iron Dames LMGT3 Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 Lamborghini DGF 5.2 L V10 QAT
8 		IMO SPA LMS SÃO COA FUJ BHR 8th* 6*

* Season still in progress.

Complete IMSA SportsCar Championship results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year Entrant Class Make Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Rank Points
2023 Iron Dames GTD Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 Lamborghini 5.2 L V10 DAY
18 		SEB
11 		LBH LGA WGL MOS LIM ELK VIR IMS PET 45th 368
2024 Iron Dames GTD Lamborghini Huracán GT3 Evo 2 Lamborghini 5.2 L V10 DAY
6 		SEB
20 		LBH
 LGA
 WGL
 MOS
 ELK
 VIR
 IMS
 PET
 16th* 391*

* Season still in progress.

References

  1. ^ "GETTING TO KNOW: SARAH BOVY". Lamborghini. 26 June 2023.
  2. ^ "A Winning Attitude by Sarah Bovy". SThree Careers. 20 February 2018.
  3. ^ "Speedqueens – Sarah Bovy". Speedqueens.com. 29 November 2015.
  4. ^ "Sarah Bovy : "All I need was a Lambo"". Endurance-Info.com. 2 August 2017.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ "Lamborghini Racing Driver Sarah Bovy Does Delicious Huracan Performante Donuts". Auto Evolution. 29 June 2018.
  6. ^ "W Series adds reserve driver Bovy to expanded Zolder grid". Motorsport.com. 18 May 2019.
  7. ^ Goodwin, Graham (16 April 2021). "Thursday Paddock Notes From ELMS & Michelin Le Mans Cup". dailysportscar.com.
  8. ^ Dagys, John (2021-05-20). "Iron Lynx Expands to Field All-Female Lineup at Paul Ricard – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  9. ^ Goodwin, Graham (13 July 2021). "Monza FIA WEC Pre-Meeting News Notebook". dailysportscar.com.
  10. ^ Goodwin, Graham (16 February 2022). "Iron Lynx Confirm 2022 Line-ups For FIA WEC, ELMS, GT World Challenge Europe & Ferrari Challenge". dailysportscar.com.
  11. ^ Lloyd, Daniel (2022-03-16). ""Cohesion" Important for Iron Dames in 17-Race Program – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  12. ^ Fernandez, Mat (9 July 2022). "Dumas Claims Pole At Monza For Glickenhaus". dailysportscar.com.
  13. ^ Euwema, Davey (2022-11-11). "Hartley Puts No. 8 Toyota into Points Lead With Bahrain Pole – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  14. ^ Euwema, Davey (2022-08-01). "Spa Class Win Feels Like "Just The Beginning" for Iron Dames – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  15. ^ Lloyd, Daniel (2022-10-16). "Deletraz, Habsburg Champions as Prema Wins at Portimao – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  16. ^ Goodwin, Graham (6 February 2023). "Iron Lynx Confirms ELMS and WEC GTE Squads". Dailysportscar.com. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  17. ^ Lloyd, Daniel (2023-03-16). "Ferrari Beats Toyota to Shock 1000M Sebring Pole – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  18. ^ Euwema, Davey (2023-04-16). "No. 8 Toyota Takes Dominant Portimao Victory – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  19. ^ Lloyd, Daniel (2023-06-11). "Corvette Wins Final Le Mans GTE-Am Race – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2023-11-02.
  20. ^ Lloyd, Daniel (2023-07-08). "Kobayashi Takes Monza Pole in Tight Qualifying Session – Sportscar365". sportscar365.com. Retrieved 2023-11-02.

External links

  • Profile at Driver Database
  • Official website
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