Trendsetters: The only five female F1 drivers till date

Giovanna Amati

The last ever female racer in Formula One was Giovanna Amati. As a child, Giovanna Amati was kidnapped for ransom, as her father was a wealthy film owner. She was repeatedly raped and was kept as a captive for as many as 75 days, and she was released after her father paid the ransom of 800 million-lira, which amounted to $933,000 in those days.

Despite this traumatic experience, she still had a good racing career. After taking part in various lower Formula Series races, she was signed up by a Brabham team that was close to leaving Formula One. She got this opportunity due to the original choice, Japanese Akihiko Nakaya not getting the required Super Licence. She entered in 3 races, but failed to qualify with the desired time in all 3.