Big changes are happening in motorsports, especially for women. At the upcoming 2024 Indianapolis 500, something historic is taking place, and it’s not what you might expect. It’s not the first time a woman or a person of color is racing, and it’s not about the biggest prize money ever. The big news is this: Motorsport is now welcoming girls with open arms.
One example of this change is Katherine Legge’s No. 51 Honda. It looks like a regular racing car at first glance, but if you look closer, you’ll see something different. It’s sponsored by e.l.f., a beauty brand, making it the first time a beauty brand is the main sponsor of a car in the Indy 500.
Katherine Legge, who has been racing for more than twenty years, started her partnership with e.l.f. in 2023. She represented the brand in a small race, and it went so well that they decided to sponsor her car for the Indy 500 this year. This means e.l.f. is supporting Katherine’s dream of racing, and it shows that times are changing.
It’s not just Katherine Legge making waves. Women are becoming more important in motorsport decisions all over the world. In Europe, the F1 Academy for women has partnered with Charlotte Tilbury, a luxury beauty brand. They even had a big presence at the Formula 1’s Miami Grand Prix, with celebrities and influencers promoting beauty products.
In NASCAR, Natalie Decker’s car is sponsored by BikiniZone, a brand that helps with ingrown hairs. It might not sound glamorous, but it shows that companies are recognizing the spending power of women. Caitlin Wood, an Australian racer, has a Barbie-themed car thanks to sponsorship from Mattel. And Toni Breidinger had a sponsorship from Victoria’s Secret in the NASCAR Trucks Series.
These sponsorships aren’t new, but they’re still surprising because women like Danica Patrick used to have more gender-neutral sponsors. Now, there’s a difference because more women are watching motorsport than ever before.
Katherine Legge noticed this change when she raced in the 2023 Indianapolis 500. There were more women and families at the track than there were ten years ago. She’s proud to be part of this “girl-power surge” happening now.
Women’s sports are growing all around the world, and more women are getting into motorsport. With Netflix’s series about Formula 1, called “Drive to Survive,” even more people are interested. This means there are more opportunities for women in racing, both as fans and as part of the racing teams.
Katherine Legge feels good about her partnership with e.l.f. because she actually uses their makeup products. It feels real and authentic to her, like it’s really her on the car.
There’s a lot of talk about how women spend their money, and companies are paying attention. They know that women spend a lot of money, so they want to advertise to them. Now that women are part of motorsport, companies are following them there too.
