Main content

Janet Guthrie: The first woman at the Indianapolis 500

How the pioneering racing driver broke the gender barrier at America's top motor race.

In 1977, Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 - the biggest race in American motorsport. Guthrie, a former aerospace engineer, had faced opposition and scepticism from male drivers and some sections of the press. In 2017 she talked to Rachael Gillman.

(Photo: Janet Guthrie after qualifying for the Indianapolis 500 in 1977. Credit: Getty Images)

Available now

9 minutes

Last on

Sun 1 May 2022 13:50GMT

Broadcasts

  • Thu 28 Apr 2022 09:50GMT
  • Thu 28 Apr 2022 23:50GMT
  • Sat 30 Apr 2022 17:50GMT
  • Sun 1 May 2022 13:50GMT

Featured in...

Olympic history

Olympic history

The inside and personal story of the key moments from sporting history

Sporting Witness Films

Sporting Witness Films

Watch sporting heroes tell their stories of astonishing achievement

Podcast