In a sport often defined by localized heroes—NASCAR drivers in the South, F1 stars in Europe—Simona de Silvestro is a citizen of speed. From the tight street circuits of Long Beach to the unforgiving concrete of Bathurst, and now to the icy chutes of the Winter Olympics, the “Iron Maiden” has proven that a racer’s instinct transcends machinery.
While many drivers specialize, de Silvestro diversifies. She is the Swiss Army knife of motorsports: an Indy 500 Rookie of the Year, a Supercars pioneer, and a Formula E history-maker.
Earning the Name
Simona de Silvestro arrived in the U.S. from Switzerland as a “Swiss Miss,” but she left Indianapolis as something far tougher.
The defining moment of her career came during practice for the 2011 Indianapolis 500. A mechanical failure sent her car slamming into the catch fence before flipping and skidding to a halt in a ball of fire. She suffered second-degree burns on both hands.
Most drivers would have withdrawn. De Silvestro was back in the cockpit 48 hours later, her hands heavily bandaged, to qualify for the race. It was a display of raw grit that earned her a new, permanent moniker from the fans: The Iron Maiden.
“Despite suffering burns on both hands, I got straight back into the car the next day… Since then, they call me Iron Maiden and dropped the Swiss Miss moniker. I like that.”
The Glass Breaker
Her toughness was matched only by her talent. In 2010, she was named the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year, joining an elite club of drivers.
Three years later, she cemented her place in American open-wheel history at the 2013 Grand Prix of Houston. battling on a bumpy street course, she finished second, joining Danica Patrick and Sarah Fisher as one of the only women in IndyCar history to stand on a podium.
But de Silvestro didn’t stay in one lane. She transitioned to the electric revolution of Formula E, where she drove for Andretti Autosport. In 2016 at the Long Beach ePrix, she became the first and only woman in history to score points in the series.
Down Under and On Ice
Never one to shy away from a challenge, she then took on arguably the toughest touring car series in the world: the Australian Supercars Championship. For three years (2017–2019), she muscled a heavy Nissan Altima around tracks like Mount Panorama, becoming the first woman to race full-time in the V8 era.
Today, her need for speed has taken a colder turn. De Silvestro is currently training with the Italian National Team for the 2026 Winter Olympics, aiming to compete in the monobob bobsleigh event. It is a radical shift from asphalt to ice, but the physics remain the same: find the fastest line, and don’t lift.
Simona de Silvestro has spent her life proving that whether it’s an electric engine, a V8, or gravity itself powering the vehicle, she knows exactly how to get it to the finish line first.
Fast Facts: Simona de Silvestro
| Milestone | Detail |
| Nickname | “The Iron Maiden” (earned after 2011 Indy 500 crash) |
| IndyCar Honors | 2010 Indy 500 Rookie of the Year |
| Podium Finish | 2nd Place at 2013 Grand Prix of Houston |
| Formula E Record | First female driver to score points (2016 Long Beach) |
| Current Goal | Training for 2026 Winter Olympics (Bobsleigh for Italy) |
Learn more at: https://simonadesilvestro.ch/