Trailblazers Honored at Australian Grand Prix

In a landmark achievement for women in motorsport, Laura Mueller and Hannah Schmitz will have Turn 6 of the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit dedicated to them at the FORMULA 1 QATAR AIRWAYS AUSTRALIAN GRAND PRIX 2026. This marks the first time a Formula 1 circuit corner has been named after women, a fitting tribute during the celebration of International Women’s Day.

The initiative, In Her Corner, is a partnership between Engineers Australia and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, aiming to inspire the next generation of engineers.

Pioneering Careers in Formula 1

Mueller made history as the first full-time female race engineer in F1, currently working with Esteban Ocon at Haas. Ocon stated that Mueller is awesome to operate with and praised her very impressive trajectory.

Schmitz, Head of Race Strategy at Red Bull, has been instrumental in the team’s success in the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, with her strategic decisions often credited with securing victories and podium finishes.

Inspiring Future Generations

“The ‘In Her Corner’ initiative promotes the importance of ‘if you can see it, you can be it,’ so the more we can all do to shine a light on the overall achievement of women in engineering is a great thing.”

Laura Mueller

“To be a part of this acknowledgement so early on in my Formula 1 career is an honour, and I hope it motivates girls and young adults to pursue a career in STEM. It’s vital to recognise women’s accomplishments in motorsport so far, and it’s great to be alongside Hannah for this.”

Laura Mueller

“I absolutely love my job and if you have the privilege of that choice also then make sure it’s the right role for you. I was always curious about how things work and loved cars. At school I had some amazing support and encouragement from teachers that opened my eyes to the world of engineering, they were my inspiration.”

Hannah Schmitz

A Broader Initiative

The dedication of Turn 6 will be celebrated with an exclusive ticketed lunch on March 5th. The In Her Corner initiative will also host an event featuring prominent figures in motorsport, including Aston Martin’s Driver Ambassador Jess Hawkins, Australian F1 Academy drivers Aiva Anagnostiadis and Joanne Ciconte, rally star Molly Taylor, and Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.