The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Paretta aims for victory lane at Indy 500 with female cast
INDIANAPOLIS — Beth Paretta has a vision for her new Indycar team.
She wants to send the first female driver to victory lane at the Indianapolis 500 with the support of a predominantly female cast. And then Paretta hopes to turn it into a full-time pipeline for women in racing.
On Tuesday, she announced the formation of Paretta Autosport and the intention to run this May at Indianapolis. Additional races could be added later this year, she said, with the hope of competing in every Indycar race next season.
“I didn’t grow up in a racing family, I grew up as a racing fan, and I could not have dreamed this for myself,” Paretta said at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “It’s that idea if you find something that you love and you work hard at, maybe the result isn’t a race team but there’s somewhere you can fit. There’s something there for you.”
Paretta certainly wants to make an impact on girls, who might feel left out in what has largely been a male-dominated sport.
But she also wants to send another message: Don’t give up on big dreams.
Paretta took this route once before when she announced she would form an all-female team with driver Katherine Legge to qualify for the 100th running of the 500 in May 2016. But when Paretta’s team couldn’t find a suitable car just weeks before the race, the effort stalled.
“The car we had wasn’t race worthy, really,” she said. “Could we have run it? Maybe. But there’s extra scrutiny on a program like this.”
Now she’s back with a five-time 500 starter, Simona de Silvestro, and some assistance from Team Penske, the most successful team in Indy history. The team founded by series owner Roger Penske will provide technical support for Paretta Autosport, and the two will initially work together at Penske’s headquarters in North Carolina.
The 32-year-old Swiss driver and 2010 Indy 500 rookie of the year will attempt to qualify for the 33-car starting grid in the No. 16 Chevrolet. De Silvestro finished a career-high 14th in 2010 but last competed at Indy in 2015 when she finished 19th with Michael Andretti’s team. She also has competed in Australian Supercars, Formula E and IMSA Sportscars. She also was a development driver in Formula One and has been a factory driver for Porsche since 2019.
“I think it’s going to be the best opportunity for me yet with everyone involved believing in the same goals so we can be successful when we come in May,” De Silvestro said. “And I hope it inspires more women to follow their dreams.”
The plan goes well beyond De Silvestro. Paretta intends to hire women in all facets of the operation — competition, administration, logistics, marketing and public relations. And the blueprint fits as part of Indycar’s outreach to create more diversity in the sport.
The announcement comes less than three months before Indycar’s season opener in Birmingham, Alabama. This year’s 500 is set for May 30.