Iron Dames withdraws from Watkins Glen due to Gatting injury

The Iron Dames team officially announced their withdrawal from the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen 2025, the fifth round of the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The absence is due to injuries sustained by Michelle Gatting during the Le Mans Test Day, where she suffered three fractures in her foot following a pitlane accident.

Accident at Le Mans During Routine Change

The incident occurred in the crowded pitlane of Circuit de la Sarthe under red flag conditions. Gatting was performing a routine driver change when the Porsche 911 GT3 R came down directly on her foot after being prematurely released by the team.

Photo By Maxime Lantz

The chassis impacted directly on the center of her foot, causing three fractures. The driver, with hundreds of pit stops in her career, described the situation as "extremely unfortunate", different from typical cases where only toes are affected.

Bovy Successfully Replaced at Le Mans

Sarah Bovy took over driving duties in the Porsche #85 for the 24 Hours of Le Mans, joining Rahel Frey and Célia Martin. The Belgian has four previous appearances at La Sarthe, including two consecutive top-five finishes in recent editions. She was part of Iron Dames' historic female victory at Bahrain 2023, the final race of WEC's LMGTE Am era.

IMSA Regulations Prevent Similar Replacement

Strict IMSA driver rating rules block this solution for Watkins Glen. Gatting holds an FIA Gold rating, a mandatory requirement for GTD class competition. Her teammates Frey and Bovy maintain Silver ratings, while potential replacements like Karen Gaillard and Célia Martin also lack the necessary classification.

The GT Daytona regulations require at least one Gold or Platinum-rated driver per team. Without this legal classification, Iron Dames cannot field a valid lineup for the endurance race.

Impact on IMSA Endurance Program

Iron Dames only competes in the four Michelin Endurance Cup races: Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Petit Le Mans. The team already participated in this year's first two rounds with the Porsche 911 GT3 R #83, operated by Proton Competition.

Missing Watkins Glen jeopardizes their endurance cup aspirations, where every point proves crucial for the final standings.

Lost Physical Preparation

Gatting revealed she had reached peak physical condition for Le Mans 2025 after becoming an official Porsche driver. "I knew I was going to Le Mans with the best possible Porsche team, which motivated me to prepare extra. I'd never been lighter for Le Mans", she explained.

The driver admitted waking up conscious of missing a major opportunity. "If the team achieves a good result this time, I don't know if I could ever top it", she confessed.

Photo By Maxime Lantz

Recovery Timeline

Gatting plans to return for the European Le Mans Series round at Imola on July 6. Together with Bovy and Martin, she currently leads the LMGT3 standings in ELMS, a championship they'll continue fighting for.

For IMSA, Petit Le Mans at Road Atlanta in October will be their next opportunity to score in the Michelin Endurance Cup. She's expected to be fully recovered by then.