Laura Müller and Hannah Schmitz will have their own F1 corner at the upcoming Australian Grand Prix. In motorsport there’s a long-standing tradition of naming sections of a circuit after drivers or other prominent figures in the sport. To mark International Women’s Day — which this year coincides with the Melbourne GP — that honour falls, for the first time, to two women. Müller and Schmitz are, respectively, race engineer at Haas and chief strategist at Red Bull.
The initiative is part of the In Her Corner project, a collaboration between Engineers Australia and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation. By naming a corner after Müller and Schmitz, the organisers want to present them as ‘an inspiration’ for the next generation of female engineers. Since 2025 Müller has been the first full-time female race engineer in Formula 1 history. At Grand Prix events she supports Haas driver Esteban Ocon. The Frenchman has repeatedly sung her praises, saying she has already built a ‘very impressive’ career.
Source of inspiration
“It is an honour to receive this recognition so early in my Formula 1 career,” Müller said. “I hope this motivates girls and young women to pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). It’s important to make the achievements of women in motorsport visible, and it’s great to be part of this together with Hannah.” Schmitz, in turn, plays a key role within Red Bull. Over the years she has worked closely with several drivers, including Max Verstappen. Thanks in part to her strategic insights, the Dutchman has secured multiple wins and podiums.
“I love my job,” Schmitz added. “If you get the chance to choose a career path like this, make sure it really suits you. I was always curious about how things work and had a passion for cars. At school I received a lot of support and encouragement from teachers who opened my eyes to the world of engineering; they were my inspiration.” At the last Qatar GP the British engineer stood on the podium for the first time on behalf of Red Bull. “That was an absolute honour,” she said. “It was special to see how everyone worked together as one team.”
