Motorsport circuits around the world have a longstanding tradition of naming corners after the industry’s most influential people. In Melbourne this year, two of Formula 1’s biggest trailblazers joined those ranks, and became the first women to do so.
Engineers Australia, in partnership with Australian Grand Prix Corporation, have dedicated Turn 6 of the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit (pictured below from the track) to Mueller and Schmitz, two of the sport’s great engineers. The initiative, In Her Corner, is aimed at inspiring the next generation of engineers. The announcement was timed to coordinate with International Women’s Day, which fell on Grand Prix Sunday this year.
Laura Mueller is a Formula 1 race engineer with the Haas F1 Team and a pioneer in modern motorsport engineering. Her journey to Formula 1 includes an early and formative connection to Australia. During a gap year spent in Australia, she was first exposed to the country’s strong car culture, an experience that helped spark her interest in motorsport and ultimately set her on the path toward a career in racing engineering.
That early inspiration later translated into a rapid rise through international motorsport, culminating in 2025 when she made history as Formula 1’s first full-time female race engineer, becoming the primary technical liaison between driver and team during Grand Prix weekends. Mueller has served in the position, one of the most senior trackside roles in an F1 team, for Esteban Ocon since he joined Haas at the beginning of 2025. Ocon finished 11th in the opening F1 race of the season in Melbourne, and the TGR Haas F1 Team opened its 2026 FIA Formula 1 World Championship account with Oliver Bearman in seventh.
“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 important to recognise women’s accomplishments in motorsport so far, and it’s great to be alongside Hannah for this,” said Mueller who admitted during her interview at the In Her Corner event held on the Thursday of the race weekend that she failed many subjects in her university degree, but pushed through regardless.
When asked what her skills were outside of her technical ability, Mueller replied, “Being cool, calm, and collected. Because during a race shit is being thrown at you all of the time and decisions have to be made, even if it’s not the right decision.” Host of the In Her Corner luncheon event, F1 presenter and former Head of Race Strategy for Sauber Ruth Buscombe, reiterated the importance of this by saying that when faced with a situation you have three options, make the right decision, make the wrong decision, or make no decision. According to Buscombe, you never should choose the ‘no decision’ option.
Hannah Schmitz is a powerful role model for young women aspiring to pursue careers in engineering, demonstrating that technical excellence, calm leadership and confidence under pressure can define success at the very highest level of sport.
As Head of Race Strategy at Oracle Red Bull Racing, Schmitz plays a critical role in shaping race outcomes in Formula 1, making complex, data-driven decisions in real time – often under immense pressure and global scrutiny. Her work behind the scenes has been instrumental in multiple race wins and championship-winning campaigns, showing that engineering skill and strategic thinking can be just as decisive as what happens on track. Hannah’s career demonstrates that engineering is not a narrow path but a dynamic, creative profession where problem-solving, communication and resilience matter as much as technical knowledge.
In her career to date with Red Bull Racing, Schmitz has worked with the majority of drivers in the team’s history and has climbed the ranks to become one of the most highly regarded strategists in F1. Her bold calls have contributed to wins and podiums, and she has been hailed as “insanely calm” by Max Verstappen. Verstappen was the only car in the Oracle Red Bull Racing team to take the chequered flag on race day in Melbourne this year, following Hadjar’s retirement. With Max climbing up to sixth, marking an impressive recovery for the Red Bull driver who started in 20th place.
“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,” said Schmitz on receiving the honour.
Both Laura and Hannah’s visibility in Formula 1 sends a powerful message: women belong at the highest levels of engineering, decision-making and leadership. In Her Corner is an initiative born to celebrate the success of engineers and inspire the next generation, which is important because only 16% on the engineers in Australia are women.
In addition to the naming of Turn 6, In Her Corner was celebrated with an exclusive event at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit on Thursday 5 March, with a guestlist primed to inspire the next generation of engineers. In addition to the Q&A with Laura Mueller (Hannah Schmitz was unable to attend due to a flight delay) was a panel discussion with Jessica Hawkins, Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team’s Head of F1 Academy and Driver Ambassador. Along with Jessica, the former F1 Academy drivers Aiva Anagnostiadis and Joanne Ciconte, and Rally Driver and World Champion Molly Taylor, also spoke, plus there was an interview with Formula 1 CEO, Stefano Domenicali.
Rear Admiral Katherine Richards AM CSC, the first female Head of Navy Engineering in the Royal Australian Navy, gave an emotive opening address at the event about how Formula 1 makes invisible parts of engineering visible and as such is vitally important in engaging the next generation of young engineers. This statement really resonated with me and when I was watching the first Formula 1 practice session the next day, I felt it as well, because I was so overcome at the sight, sound, and feeling of the F1 cars rushing by me that I was brought to tears.
“You [women] belong here and your perspective is an asset,” said Rear Admiral Katherine Richards. She also made the point that the strongest Formula 1 teams pull from the widest pools and in F1 most of the positions are STEM based in some way.
The discussion panels also explored innovation, leadership and lived experience in motorsport and STEM, offering attendees insight into the challenges women continue to face, alongside the opportunities emerging through advocacy, mentorship and institutional change.
Monash University helped shine a spotlight on gender equity in motorsport and STEM at the In Her Corner, lunch event, with current and former students in attendance. Ruth Buscombe joked that Monash Motorsport, the student-run racing team from Monash University in Melbourne, were the nemesis to her Cambridge University team in the Formula Student (Formula SAE) competition, as they defeated Cambridge at the time Buscombe participated in the international competition.
Speaking at the In Her Corner event, Monash University Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Sharon Pickering, joined senior leaders and industry figures to reinforce the importance of leadership, visibility and long-term cultural change. Professor Pickering said events like In Her Corner played a critical role in building confidence, resilience and opportunity for women and girls entering traditionally male-dominated fields.
“When women see themselves reflected in leadership and innovation, it shows them what is possible and who belongs,” Professor Pickering said. “But gender equity in STEM and motorsport is not just about representation, it’s about changing systems so talent can thrive. A diversity of voices, skills and experiences is essential to solving complex challenges. We must ensure girls and women know they have a place at the table and are encouraged to step forward.”
Professor Pickering declared partnerships between universities, industry and major sporting organisations were essential to accelerating progress, “By working together with industry and professional bodies, we can build an ecosystem of support that extends well beyond a single event. Most of all I want all young women in engineering and STEM to know Monash is in their corner.”
Monash has a sustained commitment to advancing gender equity and supporting women in STEM. The University is a champion of the Women in STEM Decadal Plan and participates actively in the SAGE Athena Swan gender equity framework, and in 2025, became the first Group of Eight (Go8) university to earn the Athena Swan Silver accreditation.
Since 2018, Monash has more than doubled the number of women Professors in STEM disciplines, and significantly increased the number of women Associate Professors, reflecting structural change in academic leadership. Monash also supports women at all career stages through initiatives such as the STEMM Women Academic Network, which runs mentoring, promotion workshops and networking events at scale, and faculty-level mentoring programs like Women in Engineering mentoring that connect students with alumni and industry professionals.
At the student level, programs such as Women in Engineering at Monash (WEM) build peer networks, leadership skills and early engagement in engineering. Monash also offers targeted support such as the Women in Engineering Scholarship to attract and retain high-achieving women in technical fields.
The In Her Corner event concluded with a strong call to action for sustained collaboration across education, industry and sport to ensure the next generation of women in STEM are supported, visible and empowered. Just like racing car drivers, women in STEM roles need to look through the corner, to reach their career apex.
Photographs by Driven Women Magazine.