Gatting back in action at Imola after missing Le Mans

With a taped-up foot and a strong dose of determination, Iron Dames racer Michelle Gatting is back behind the wheel this week and looks set to be declared fit to race in the FIA WEC 6 Hours of São Paulo next weekend.

After sustaining multiple foot fractures during a pit stop during the Le Mans Test Day last month, which forced her to sit out the 24 Hours, the Dane convinced herself she wouldn’t be sidelined too long.

Her personal target was to be ready in time for this weekend’s European Le Mans Series race at Imola. And on Thursday, she exited the pit lane aboard her LMGT3 class Iron Dames Porsche for the first time since the incident at La Sarthe. She was back, and mercifully, felt no pain.

“I immediately knew when I couldn’t race at Le Mans that I would have to be back for this one,” she told RACER ahead of the third round of her European campaign with the team.

“I’ve got great people around me, including my coach Rob, who has helped me with training and the recovery journey so far. I’ve trained every day since I left Le Mans, in a different way to normal because it will be a while before I can fully recover and run again, but it was important to keep doing something.

“Bones haven’t healed in just two and a half weeks. I’m still on crutches, I’m still in the boot, but I can drive the car.”

And the feeling was “amazing,” she said of her first experience on track in the ELMS pre-event test. “I can control the throttle the way I need to because my foot has been taped in a very specific way, and I have not needed painkillers either. I was nervous, but I firmly believed it would work out, and I had spent time convincing everyone around me that it was okay.

“I went out on that first lap, clattered all the kerbs I could to see what it was like and did two stints of 45 minutes, and it was fine. I could drive the way I want to; the biggest issue is the heat, but that’s the same for everyone. So the doctors have declared me fit, and here I am.

“Driver changes will be a bit different. Sarah (Bovy) will be there to catch me if I fall, which sounds more beautiful than it is, but we will make it work. I can get in and out of the car okay, I just need to hop around on one foot.”

Along with Celia Martin and Sarah Bovy, Gatting leads the ELMS LMGT3 class standings by four points after the trio’s strong start to the 2025 season, which included a victory in Spain and a seventh-place finish at Paul Ricard. It’s the primary reason she was desperate to return to the cockpit within three weeks of her projected 12-week recovery.

“We have a chance to win this year, and I need to be part of it because it’s been my dream from the beginning to win a title with the Iron Dames,” she added. “And I firmly believe it’s going to happen sooner or later.”

The turnaround between Sunday’s 4 Hours of Imola and the trip to Brazil next week is tight, and the long-haul flight in a few days' time will undoubtedly be uncomfortable. However, barring any unexpected setbacks on race day (which would likely result in Sarah Bovy being called up again), she expects to be on the plane and ready to resume her World Championship campaign.

“We will do our best to make sure nothing goes wrong on Sunday because I want to be there.”