Katherine Anne Legge (/ˈlɛɡ/LEG; born 12 July 1980)[1][2] is a British professional auto racing driver who competes part-time in the IMSA SportsCar Championship and part-time in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 51 Honda for Dale Coyne Racing with backing from e.l.f. She holds the record for the fastest qualifying effort for a woman in Indianapolis 500 history, set in 2023,[3] and was the first woman to win a major open-wheel race in North America in 2005.[4]
Racing career
Early racing and Atlantics
Prior to joining the Toyota Atlantic series, Guildford-born Legge raced in several developmental open-wheel series in Britain, including Formula Three, Formula Renault and Formula Ford. In 2000, she was the first woman to achieve a pole in a Zetec race. In 2001, she beat Kimi Räikkönen's lap record and achieved a pole, and she was the first woman to receive the BRDC's "Rising Star" accolade.
Legge's move to the United States came about in 2004, when after running out of finances to continue her racing career, she visited the UK offices of Cosworth, refusing to leave until she had met Cosworth boss Kevin Kalkhoven. Kalkhoven sent his daughter to speak to Legge to get her to leave: after a brief conversation with Legge, she instead told Kalkhoven that he should meet with her. Kalkhoven then offered her a drive in the first three rounds of the 2005 Toyota Atlantic Championship with Polestar Motor Racing: this was her first full-time drive. She won the series opener at Long Beach in her first career Atlantic start.[5] In doing so, she became the first woman to win a developmental open-wheel race in North America. Legge went on to take her second and third wins of the season at Edmonton and San Jose. She finished the season 3rd in the championship with three wins and five podiums. She also received the Toyota Atlantic BBS Rising Star 2005 Award.
In November 2005, Legge became the first woman to test a Formula One car since Sarah Fisher in 2002, when she tested on the second and third days (22 and 23 November) of the Minardi team's final testing session at Vallelunga.[6] After she crashed after 2 laps on her first run on the track, it was decided to postpone the test until the following day, on which she completed 27 laps with a best lap time of 1:21.176.[7] She was also the first woman to test an A1 Grand Prix car, on 9–11 December 2005 with A1 Team Great Britain.[8]
She received the 2005 RACER Magazine "Most Promising Road Racer of The Year" award.[9]
Champ Car
In the 2005–2006 off-season, Legge tested a Champ Car once for Rocketsports Racing and twice for PKV Racing. In February 2006, it was announced that she would drive for PKV Racing in the 2006 Champ Car season. In June, she became the first woman to lead a lap in series history, leading 12 laps at Milwaukee.[10] Legge suffered a violent accident at the 2006 Grand Prix of Road America when the rear wing of her car broke; she was able to walk away from the car unharmed.[11][12]
Legge drove for Dale Coyne Racing in 2007, and her best result in the series was sixth place, twice.
In 2008, Legge moved to the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters series, driving for Colin Kolles' Futurecom TMEAudi team. For 2009 and 2010 she raced for the Abt Sportsline team, who were the 2008 champions. For 2009 she was the only one of the 5 drivers in the Abt Sportline team using the previous year's car.
IndyCar
In January 2012, Legge signed with Dragon Racing in the IndyCar Series, alongside Frenchman Sébastien Bourdais.[13] Legge reached a two-year agreement with sponsor TrueCar as part of their Women Empowered campaign.[14] However, since the Lotus engines were shown to be uncompetitive, the team made a change to Chevrolet engines. But team owner Jay Penske could only procure one Chevrolet engine lease agreement for the team, so they could only enter one car per race after Indianapolis. Therefore, for the remainder of 2012, Dragon entered Bourdais at the road and street courses, and Legge at oval tracks, except for Sonoma Raceway where both drivers were able to compete.[15] Legge finished 26th in points, competing in ten of the 15 races, and had a best finish of ninth in the 2012 MAVTV 500 IndyCar World Championships at Auto Club Speedway.
Legge participated in the 2013 Indianapolis 500 race, as a joint venture between Schmidt Peterson Motorsports and Team Pelfrey. She took her first practice laps on bump day, and qualified 33rd. She ended the race in 26th.
In May 2015, Legge announced her involvement with the Grace Autosport project to enter the 2016 Indianapolis 500 race. Working with the support of the FIA's Women in Motorsport Commission, the all-female team set out to promote technology and engineering as a career for young women.[16] The team was unable to acquire a chassis, and subsequently did not enter the race.[17]
Legge entered the 2023 Indianapolis 500, 10 years after her previous entry. She qualified 30th, setting a new qualifying speed record for female drivers (231.070 mph/371.871 km/h). She was the only Rahal Letterman Lanigan driver to avoid bump day.[18] Legge suffered multiple mechanical issues and a crash in the days leading up to the race. On lap 35 she lost control leaving the pit lane and hit the inside pit wall. She tried to continue the race, but was forced to retire on lap 41.[19]
For the 2024 Indianapolis 500 she drove for Dale Coyne Racing with Rick Ware Racing, using e.l.f. Cosmetics as her primary sponsor.[20] On bump day she brushed the wall on her last lap, but kept her foot on the gas to qualify 31st.[21] Her race ended when she suffered an engine failure on Lap 23.[22] Legge returned to the team for the double-header at Iowa Speedway.[23]
In July 2020, while participating in the pre race testing at Paul Ricard ahead of the European Le Mans Series, Legge was injured in a crash suffering a broken wrist and leg. Legge was part of the all-female Richard Mille Racing team along with Sophia Florsch and Tatiana Calderón.[25]
NASCAR
Legge's No. 15 NASCAR Xfinity car at Road America in 2018
Legge took part in the 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, driving an Acura Integra Type S DE5 in the Time Attack 1 category.[29] She placed 27th overall, and 5th of 11 in her division.[30]
Personal life
Legge is a member of the Women in Motorsport Commission of the FIA (Federation Internationale de l'Automobile).
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