Simona De Silvestro will make a sensational return to Supercars in a Shell V-Power Racing Team wildcard Ford with rookie Kai Allen in 2023.
Simona De Silvestro will make a sensational return to Supercars in a Shell V-Power Racing Team wildcard Ford with rookie Kai Allen in 2023.
Swiss-born racer De Silvestro became the first full-time female driver in the Supercars era in 2017 when she joined Nissan Motorsport.
That followed a pair of Bathurst wildcard appearances in 2015 and '16 with Renee Gracie, the first all-female entry at Mount Panorama since Melinda Price and Kerryn Brewer in 1998.
After finishing 14th at Bathurst in 2016, De Silvestro got stuck into learning Supercars full-time, recording best race and grid positions of 13th and 14th in '17.
De Silvestro's second season included a maiden top 10 finish, in Newcastle's finale, as moved into 2019 with the rebranded Kelly Racing.
Her final season featured a best Bathurst finish of 13th before she departed for a factory Porsche role.
Before entering Supercars, De Silvestro was a regular in Formula E and IndyCar across 2015 and ’16 though Andretti Autosport.
De Silvestro claimed a podium at Houston in 2013 during her time in IndyCar, and was named Rookie of the Year in the Indianapolis 500 in 2010.
Despite being born in Europe, De Silvestro's focus from early in her career was the US, making her car racing debut in Formula BMW USA in 2006.
Having also tested with the Sauber Formula 1 team in 2014, De Silvestro is passionate about about encouraging women in motorsport, whether behind the wheel or in pit lane.