American Ashley Freiberg (pictured, left) and Gosia Rdest (right) of Poland are set to become the first all-female team to compete in the Grand Sport class when the green flag drops on the four-hour Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge season opener at Daytona. They’ll be behind the wheel of the all-new Audi R8 LMS GT4, supported by GMG Racing, car owner Daren Jorgensen and the Audi Tire Center.

Freiberg became the first woman to win an overall race at Daytona and in the CTSC when she won the race in 2014. Rdest competed in the Audi Sport TT Cup from 2015-17 and brings experience in TCR and GT4 racing, most recently finishing first in the GT4 class at the Dubai 24-hour race two weeks ago. She is set to continue the season with Phoenix Racing in the 2018 SRO GT4 European Series.

“Women are few and far between in motorsports. So the opportunity to join an all-women team with Audi is very exciting,” Frieberg said. “My gender doesn’t make a difference when I’m behind the wheel. I still have to do a good job, and drive the car hard; the data and lap times don’t lie.

“I think we’ll be a strong team, not because we’re female, but because we’re drivers that are ready to do the job well.”

Added Rdest: “I feel very privileged and honored to drive progress for women in motorsports. I have always thought that it’s not the gender, but the passion, endurance and hard work that are the mainstay of any winner.”

An all-female lineup under the Audi flag has been in the works since the inception of the Audi Sport customer racing program in 2012.

“It’s only fitting that we continue this progress at the competition level within customer racing,” said Tristan Herbert, senior manager of motorsport and customer racing. “We chose these drivers because they’re talented, professional and lay down impressive lap times in the front of the field.”