Female Drivers in Saloons and Touring Cars: Spain, Andorra and Portugal

Catalina Bruguera and Oliver Campos

There are many women from the Iberian peninsula who have raced saloon cars in recent years, both in one-make and open championships. Below are some short profiles. Alba Cano  and Zihara Esteban have their own profiles. 

Ana Alvarez – raced in the Spanish SEAT Leon Supercopa, in 2006 and 2007 at least. In her first season, she did fifteen races, managing to score points once. She was 29^th in the championship. Her second season was only three races, and she was unable to challenge for honours. In between, in 2007, she raced the Leon in the Barcelona 24 Hours, and was tenth, as part of a four-driver team. She may well have entered the championship again in 2008, but the results are not forthcoming. She was certainly part of the Spanish endurance championship that year, and scored at least one third place.

Ana Barreras - races small cars in Spain and took part in the 2021 G Series ice racing championship in Andorra. She has been competing on circuits since 2017, mainly in one-make series and mostly in the Toyota Aygo Cup. She had a best finish of fourth at Jarama in 2020 and also came fourth in the non-championship Christmas Trophy, driving alongside her mother, former rally co-driver Ana Barbero. The two are racing in the Spanish Mini Challenge together in 2021. Although both of her parents competed in off-road events, Ana’s first attempt off-road was the 2021 G Series, driving a Ford Focus for Sandoval Racing. 

Catalina Burguera - competes in the Copa Racer championship in Spain. She has been active in the series since at least 2023, when she entered the Mini Cooper class. In 2024, she and Paloma Escobar won the Mini class in the first round at Valencia. Catalina was sixth overall. In 2025, she moved up to the main GT class, driving a BMW M2 with Oliver Campos. They won two rounds at Estoril and Navarra outright. She is from a motorsport family and other Burgueras also compete in Copa Racer. 

Teresa Burguera - raced in the Copa Racer series in Spain between 2023 and 2024. Her best year was 2024, when she was seventh in her class championship, driving a Mini Cooper. The 2023 season was her first in cars, and she did four races. She is the sister of Catalina Burguera, who she raced against in 2024, sharing a car with her brother, Jaime. She does not appear to have raced in 2025.  

Paloma Escobar - raced in Copa Racer in 2024. She was third in the Touring class for Mini Coopers, sharing her car with Catalina Burguera for part of the season. They won one of the first races of the season at Valencia together. She drove solo at Estoril, finishing fourth in one race. In 2023, she shared her car with Joanna Gruau, and they were twelfth in the championship, with a best finish of sixth at Valencia. This was her third season in the championship, beginning with a short campaign in 2021.

Joanna Gruau - raced in the Copa Racer championship from its first season in 2021 to 2023, driving a Mini Cooper. Her best year was 2023, when she partnered Paloma Escobar, finishing twelfth in the championship. Her best race finish was sixth, achieved at Valencia. In 2024, she raced a Vortex with Philippe Gruau in the Spanish GT championship. Her best finish was fifteenth at Navarre.

Raquel Morera Ibanez - has competed in the Renault Clio Cup in Spain since 2010. In 2010, she was eighth in the championship. The following year, she was only fifteenth, with a best finish of eighth at Catalunya, and two further tenth places. She also drove in eight rounds of the Renault Clio Eurocup around Europe, with a best finish of thirteenth, also at Catalunya. In 2012, she only seems to have managed two Clio Cup races, at Catalunya. She entered four Eurocup races in 2013, with a best finish of thirteenth again, at Catalunya. 

Ana Sainero - races in the Copa Racer championship. She first competed in the series in 2024, driving a BMW M2 in the GT class with her brother, Antonio. They won the championship in their first year, with five outright wins. Their team withdrew early in the 2025 championship after a crash in the first race of the year, but reappeared later at Navarra, where they were second twice. Ana also joined the sister car of Juan Catelan for the second race of the season, finishing fourth. Previously, Ana raced in the Spanish Endurance Championship from 2019, proving herself capable of podium finishes.

Mari Santonja - races touring cars in the Spanish championship. She drove a Honda Civic Type R and was tenth in the 2019 championship. Her best finish was seventh at the Circuito Ricardo Tormo. This was her first season of racing, although she has been working as a motorsport mechanic for longer and has also competed in rallies as a navigator.

Lydia Sempere - competes in the Spanish Touring Car championship, a TCR series. Her car in 2021 was a Renault Megane and she did the whole season, apart from the final rounds at Barcelona which she missed, due to a DNF in the first race of the weekend. Her best result was a tenth place at Aragon and she often struggled for pace. In 2022 and 2023, she raced in the Clio Cup in Spain. Previously, she was active in karting as a junior and a senior. Lydia is profoundly deaf and races with visual aids in her car which help her understand the car’s performance and when she needs to change gear.

Marta Suria - Spanish racer who has recently been active in several one-make series. In 2008, she was eighth in the Spanish Renault Clio Cup. This was her fourth season in the Cup, and her best finish. She returned to the Clio Cup in 2011, although she was less successful, only managing 23rd overall after some DNFs. In between, she was second in the Spanish Mini Challenge in 2010, with one win and several podiums. In 2012, she raced in the Clio Cup again, and was thirteenth overall after car trouble limited her participation. She also drove in two rounds of the German MINI Trophy. In 2013, she only seems to have entered two Clio Cup rounds, at Motorland in Spain. After a long break, she did four Clio Cup rounds in 2018, scoring a best finish of seventh at Catalunya and Valencia. In 2019, she entered a couple of rounds of the Spanish TCR championship. 
Marta began racing historics in 2002, and drove an Alfa Romeo GTAm for some time. In 2004, she also won a Valencia regional speed eventing championship. She also competes in rallies, both of the stage and cross-country variety.   

Amalia Vinyes - Andorran driver who competed in the 2010 SEAT Leon Supercopa, in Spain and Europe. She was thirteenth in the Spanish championship, and only completed two rounds of the European series. Previously, in 2009, she raced in the Catalunya round of the International GT Open Championship, in a Ferrari F430 GTS. She was driving with her brother, Joan, for their family team, Baporo Motorsport. At some point earlier than this, Amalia did some ice racing. For 2011, she switched to rallying, in a Suzuki Swift, and was 22nd in the Rallye de Ferrol and twelfth in the Rallye Villajoyosa. She competed in the SEAT Leon Supercopa in 2014, and finished in the top ten four times. Her best finish was fifth, at Monza, and she was 15th overall. She did half of the Supercopa in 2015, finishing four of her six races. Her best finish was eleventh, at Paul Ricard, and she was 27th overall. She raced in the Spanish Endurance championship in the SEAT in 2016, and was fifth in the TCR class, with one win. As well as this, she did a couple of rounds of the Eurocup. Sticking with SEAT and TCR, she did part-seasons in the Spanish, Portuguese and Iberico touring car championships. In 2018, she switched to off-road events, winning at least one in Spain. It was back to TCR in 2019, and she was one of the leading drivers in the Spanish series, finishing third in the TCR class with two wins. Her car was a SEAT Cupra. In 2021 she took part in the Spanish Endurance Championship, driving a Cupra. She won at least one race at Navarra. A part-season in TCR Spain in 2023 led to sixth at Estoril and eighth at Jerez, from pole. In a similar car, she did two races in the 2024 season, at Jarama, finishing eighth and tenth.

(Image from autohebdosport.com)

Ice Racing outside the Andros Trophy

Laia Sanz and Ingrid Rossell in 2014

The Andros Trophy is the best-known ice-racing series, in Europe at least, but it is not the only one. There is a long tradition of ice-racing in Russia, and in recent years, a women’s championship has been held once a year. The G Series, held in Andorra, is another yearly championship, which attracts several female participants, as well as many MotoGP riders.

Here are short profiles of some non-Andros ice racers.

Berta Bigordá – Andorran driver who competed in Andorra’s G-Series in 2013 and 2014. She raced in the G-Series 2, for Volkswagen Golfs. In 2013, she managed to score a few points in each round, and was 28^th overall. In 2014, she was 17^th, with a best finish of fifth. As well as ice racing, she took part in the Panda Raid in 2014, as co-driver to Carlos Bigordá.

Maria Dolsa - Andorran driver who competed in the 2018 G Series. She entered the GS2 one-make series in a Giand car. Her final championship position was seventh, and her best finish in an “A” final was fourth, which she achieved in the second round. She was the only woman competing in the 2018 championship. Back in 2007, she raced karts in the X30 Parilla Cup.

Anna Hvostova – winner of the Russian women’s ice racing championship at Cherepovetz, in 2011. She was driving a VAZ 2108. In 2012, she did some more ice-racing, at Vologda, finishing fifth in a round of the Russian Cup. Further information about Anna is not forthcoming, due to language barriers and the resulting inconsistent spelling of her name.

Katerina (Ekaterina?) Intke - competes in ice racing in Russia. She won the women’s championship at Cherepovetz Stadium in 2014, driving a VAZ 2108, despite only finishing second in the Superfinal. The same year, she was thirteenth in the main Cherepovetz race, and ninth in the Russian National class. Information about Katerina is hard to find, due to language barriers, but Intke may be a married name, and it is possible that she has been part of the ice-racing scene since 2011.

Mariona Julià Rich - Spanish driver who races in the G Series in Andorra. In 2013, she raced a VW Golf in the G Series 2 category, and was 19th overall, scoring points in each round. She shared the car with Joaquin Rodrigo. In 2014, she returned to G Series 2, and did somewhat better, with a best finish of fourth place. She was eleventh in the championship, still in the Golf. Mariona was part of the Rabbit Team, with Ingrid Rossell and others. Away from ice racing, she may well also compete in motorcycle sport of some kind.

Ingrid Rossell - Andorran driver who mainly competes in ice racing. She began in 2013, at the age of 17, in the G Series, Class Two. Ingrid managed three third places, giving her seventh in the championship. Her car was a Volkswagen Golf. In 2014, she returned to the G Series, in an updated Golf. Although she improved her best finish to second, and scored three more third places, the championship was more competitive this year, and she was ninth. A race she had against Laia Sanz, another female driver, brought her some wider attention. Laia Sanz was the winner. In 2014, she returned to the G Series, in a VW Golf. She was driving for the same team. In 2015, she did another season in the G Series, in the G Series 2. She drove a regulation VW Golf. Despite not scoring any points in the final round, she was fourth in the championship, after two third places. In 2016, she did some more G Series events, although she does not appear to have completed the whole championship. Her car was a Mini, after several years in the Golf, and she was 30th in the championship. In 2017 she was back in G Series 2, and a much stronger driver, finishing fourth overall. She was driving a prototype built by GIAND. She is not registered for the 2018 G Series and seems to be concentrating on hillclimbs in a SEAT Leon. In addition to ice racing, Ingrid has also competed in rally raids. In 2013, she took part in the Panda Raid in Morocco, driving a Fiat Panda with Manuel Saa. 

Polina Samylkina - active in Russian ice racing since at least 2011, when she was joint third in the Cherepovetz women’s championship, in a VAZ 2106. In 2012, she took part in the Vologda round of the Russian Cup of ice racing, but it is not clear whether or not she finished. In 2014, she was third in the women’s championship. In 2015, she was fourth, driving a VAZ 2108. In the same car, she raced at Vologda and Cherepovetz in 2016, with a best finish of fourth, at Vologda. As well as competing, she is one of the organisers of the ice racing meeting at Cherepovetz.

(Image from www.soymotero.net)