911 Love: Michelle Gatting

Race car driver Michelle Gatting makes history with the Iron Dames race team when she crosses the finish line in Bahrain in the 911 RSR-19 – and takes the class win.

  

Michelle Gatting went down in history in November 2023 when she crossed the finish line at the Bahrain International Circuit in a Porsche 911 RSR-19. At the end of eight hours, she and her teammates Sarah Bovy and Rahel Frey became the first team of women to win a race in the FIA World Endurance Championship (LMGTE Am category). Gatting first demonstrated her talent in karting, and is a two-time runner-up in the German Karting Championship. The Dane switched to formula racing in 2011 and then to the Porsche Carrera Cup. In total, she has competed in more than 200 races, has secured a spot on the podium more than 60 times, and was the first woman to win the Ferrari Challenge Europe Trofeo Pirelli. Since 2020, she has been a member of the Iron Dames, a women-only race team that seeks to inspire women.


What is love?
Love is not what you say, love is what you do.

How are you?
I am good, sitting in a plane heading to Spain.

The Porsche 911 in three words?​​​​​​​
Historic, unique, German.

Which simple things can make you happy?​​​​​​​
Seeing other people laugh.

What would you never do in a 911?​​​​​​​
Smoke!

What’s your favorite road?​​​​​​​
All German autobahns. But 15 to 20 years ago, when there weren’t so many construction sites.

What can distract you?​​​​​​​
People being unfair.

Three things you would take to a desert island?​​​​​​​
A fire steel, unlimited water, and my dog.

Is there a historical figure you admire?
Julius Caesar.

What on a 911 could you do without?​​​​​​​
The cup holder on the passenger side.

And what couldn’t you?​​​​​​​
The speedometer.

What music did you wake up to this morning?​​​​​​​
The sounds of the eighties.

Your favorite film?​​​​
​​​I’m a sucker for classic rom-coms.

Your favorite book?
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz.

Where do you long to be?
In Bali.

Your most treasured possession?
My dog.

Your secret?
​​​​​​​Well, that’s my secret.

The 911 moment of your life?
Racing a 911 SWB from 1965 around Laguna Seca in California.

Your best advice?​​​​​​​
Always be yourself.

What would no one expect of you?​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​I cry a lot.

Michelle Gatting

Born: 1993
Residence: Andorra
Profession: Professional race driver
Porsche: Porsche 911 (964), built in 1989

Unique racing team: the Iron Dames in 9:11 Magazine

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