While the drivers of Giti’s ‘Girls Only’ team are the most visible members, there is much more that goes on behind the scenes to ensure the Giti/WS Racing’s team’s success. This includes everything from the coach to the technicians and car prep crew.
Giti’s team is unique in that all members of the group are female. They are all also very passionate about what they do and determined to succeed. Let’s meet some of the vital non-drivers, and see how they all contribute to the team!
Ellen Lehmann, Team Coach
As the returning coach of the Giti/WS Racing team, Ellen Lehmann is the true pilot of the crew. Her tasks include organizing and coordinating the processes in the pit and in racing. And she is the “Lollipop woman”, meaning that the race cars are only allowed to leave the working lane towards the racetrack on her command.
Moreover, she is also responsible for all the girls in and outside of the race cars, and obviously an important task. As a matriarch of the team, the other members go to her for advice and guidance, which she is happier to give. Interestingly, the likeable team leader found her way to motorsport through her husband.
“Motorsport and cars have been with me for many years. As an active driving instructor, you are always connected to cars. Later you marry a man who is or was an active race driver, and you are in the middle of gasoline fever and a passion that I would never want to be without. I live for motorsport.”
You will almost never see Ellen without her red folder. There, she keeps her notes and task plans to ensure that the team performs the best way possible. With her charming smile and dedicated personality, she is well-liked by her team and for sure a major reason for the team’s success. However, she prefers to bring the attention back to the hard work of her team.
“Personally, I think the Girls Only project is unique and special. Therefore, I would like to do my part to ensure that it can continue to develop. We want to show that we as women, just like men, can do something with passion.”
Amandine Cantin, Tyre & Fuel Management
Giti’s all-around talent, Amandine, is not only a nice colleague. She is also an integral part of Giti’s Girls Only Motorsports Team. There, she is responsible for tyre management and refuelling the race car.
These of course are very vital tasks and requires a wealth of knowledge and experience about everything regarding race-cars. To manage the tyres, she coordinates closely with Giti Tyre to ensure the correct quantity, timing, and feedback of the tyres’ performance.
Amandine shares for herself why she finds so excited to be on this team.
“The project fascinated me incredibly from the start. On the one hand, because it is a project that has never existed in this form! And for another, because I am convinced that gender is secondary in motorsport. For me, it is not about showing that women have a better command of motorsport, but that women have just as much passion for it and are also willing to give everything.”
A Full Team of Winners
There are many other vital members contributing to the team’s success – in every way from mechanics to photographers! See how they work together to achieve success:
Anne Beyer
Task: Tyre Changer
“I am an engineer in the field of engine technology and got into motorsport through the Formula Student team at my university.”
Janine Lerchen
Task: Car Chief
“Technology has always fascinated me and before Girls Only I spent my weekends along the racetrack and enjoyed the cool atmosphere. It has always been a dream to actively participate in motorsport, which also worked with the creation of Girls Only last season.”
Josephine Buchholz
Task: Fire Extinguisher
“In addition to motorsport, I studied business administration. My father was a German karting champion and so we spent every weekend at the racetrack.”
Lisa Mohr
Task: Air Lance
“In addition to motorsport, I am studying international tourism management. I discovered my preference for motorsport many years ago through karting, in which I was active for several years and took part in national championships.”
Melissa Haugwitz
Task: Race Mechanic
“I am the race mechanic in the Girls Only team. I am responsible for all mechanical activities on the car and of course also for changing wheels. I am a trained automotive mechatronics technician and work for Jaguar Land Rover in Stuttgart. There I do everything from electrical troubleshooting to mechanical repairs. I’ve been part of the team since this year and it is an honour for me to be part of the 24h race and the VLN races this year. A year ago I was sitting in front of the TV myself and saw the Girls Only team for the first time and it was immediately clear to me that I wanted to be part of it. Since I have been interested in cars from an early age and they have now become a part of my life, it was only a matter of time before I started racing. There are two more pictures of me on the racetrack and in the workshop.”
Natalie Alten
Task: Photographer
“I am the photographer in the Girls Only team, and I accompany the girls both in the box and on the track with the camera. My job in the pits is to document the work of all team members and to capture the emotions that arise during the race. On the track, the main thing is to capture our car as perfectly as possible on various sections of the route, be it on the straight or when exiting a curve. This is how I create vivid memories that give a look back at the past moments even after the race weekends have ended. I got into motorsport through a good friend who took me to the Nürburgring a few years ago and since then I’ve been to the 24-hour race there and various other motorsport events every year. In addition to motorsport, I am a trained wholesale clerk and work in sales for an international company. I also pursue my passion outside of motorsport in the areas of portrait, couple and car photography.”
Nicole Willems
Task: Team Manager
“My role in the team is the position of team manager. I take care of the organization around the team. These include e.g. organizing team-building measures or creating team wear, especially at the beginning. I take care of room bookings and catering as well as our social media channels, and I am the contact person for press inquiries. For me, the special thing about Girls Only can be seen with the ambition and professionalism with which everyone pulls together and with which we were able to achieve considerable success within a very short time. I will never forget the engine change at the 2019 24-hour race, nor the class win at the 2019 season finale. For me personally, those were real goosebumps.”
Sarah Auler
Task: Fire Extinguisher and Tyre Engineer
“Technology has always fascinated me and before Girls Only I spent my weekends along the racetrack and enjoyed the cool atmosphere. It has always been a dream to actively participate in motorsport, which also worked with the creation of Girls Only last season.”
Sarah Moll
Task: Tyre Change (front right)
“I’m a trained draftsman and if I’m not at the racetrack with Girls Only then I’m with my boyfriend at the Youngtimer Trophy or also at the VLN. I was born with petrol in my blood. I sat in a kart for the first time when I was 5 years old. Afterwards, I drove karting, car slalom for many years and at the moment I drive sporadically in the Youngtimer Trophy. In addition to motorsports, I like to ride my mountain bike, do Pilates and have a small sewing room where I sew children’s things under the name “sewing goat.”
Stephanie Hanisch
Task: Timekeeping
“I have 22 years of experience in motorsport from the team side as well as from the official side. Toyota Yaris Cup, Formula BMW, Formula Renault, Formula ADAC, Formula Lista, Superleague Formula, Acceleration, Formula 3 etc. Technical support and spare parts for Renault Motorsport, Sales and Marketing Öhlins, Track Data Support at Memotec …from racing mechanic to data engineer, everything has already been done. The team spirit, the fast vehicles and the competition are exciting.”
Tamara Streib
Task: Engineer
“I am studying mechatronics for my Master’s Degree and got into motorsport primarily through Formula Student. Formula Student is a design competition in which students design and build their own small formula racing car. There I mainly worked in the chassis and team management department.”
About Giti Tyre
Giti Tyre Group (headquartered in Singapore) has roots in the tyre business going back to 1951 and is now one of the world’s largest tyre companies. Giti Tyre produces a broad range of tyre products, serving major original equipment vehicle manufacturers, auto-service outlets, motorsports teams, tyre dealers, and consumers in more than 130 countries worldwide. The company has eight production centres in three countries, including a newly opened tyre factory in South Carolina, USA.
In addition to its wide network and motorsports presence, Giti Tyre is also heavily focused on green production and community efforts, including participation in local education and environmental efforts to create a better society.
