Positive aspects prevail in dramatic race finish
Proton Huber Competition looks back on many positive aspects after the Michelin Le Mans Cup season opener - Marta Garcia largely uninjured after a serious accident.
The 2025 season of the Michelin Le Mans Cup got underway at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Proton Huber Competition is the operations team for the Iron Dames Porsche 911 GT3 R in the international ACO championship. Former DTM driver Vanina Ickx and young Spanish talent Marta Garcia took turns in the cockpit of the car.
The Iron Dames was founded in 2018 by Deborah Mayer and is a pioneering project that supports women in competing on an equal footing with men in motorsport. In 2023, the Iron Dames took their much-acclaimed first class win in the FIA WEC. In the European Le Mans Series race in Barcelona, in which the Michelin Le Mans Cup is held as part of the support programme, the Iron Dames won the LMGT3 class after a strong performance.
Throughout the event, Ickx, the daughter of six-time 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx, and Marta Garcia were consistently at the front of the class. Ickx started the race late on Saturday afternoon from sixth on the grid in the class and was quickly able to fight her way up several positions in a chaotic race. With a good tactical performance and a quick pit stop, the Proton Huber Competition team played a crucial role in helping Marta Garcia to take the lead after the driver change.
The race ended dramatically for the Iron Dames Porsche 911 GT3 R at the halfway point. After being hit by a competitor, the young Spaniard Garcia crashed on the back straight at high speed while leading through no fault of her own. The car was badly damaged in the impact. The 24-year-old was able to get out of the car under her own power, but was taken to hospital for further examinations. No serious injuries were diagnosed at the hospital.
‘After the weekend, we can look back on many positive things: Marta and Vanina showed strong performances and our team also did a flawless job. Our performance was on a par with the experienced GT3 teams. The collaboration with the Iron Dames also went flawlessly, which is a great honour for us,’ summarises Proton Huber Competition team boss Christoph Huber. ‘But the most important thing is that Marta is doing well under the circumstances and is on the road to recovery! The impact has impressively demonstrated the high safety standards of the Porsche.’
The second race of the Michelin Le Mans Cup will take place on 3 May. The second two-hour race will take place at the Circuit Paul Ricard in Le Castellet, France. The entire Proton Huber Competition team hopes that the Iron Dames will be able to realise their potential there and achieve a strong result.