Laleh Seddigh

Laleh Seddigh (also spelled 'Laleh Sadiq', born 1977, Iran) is one of the few Iranian women race car drivers, skilled in both circuit and rally driving. The PhD student from Tehran has been called "little Schumacher", and has been recognized as the best female racer in the country. She is trained by former national champion Saeed A'rabian.

In December 2007 Laleh Seddigh was banned from racing for 12 months after being accused of engine tampering. At the time she was confined to racing the 1600GT class of cars - but was eager to show she could compete in the fastest racing group in Iran, known as "Free Class." She repainted a 2400CC vehicle and added new graphics to make it look like her distinctive Orange/Blue 1600GT SAIPA sponsored vehicle. She then wheedled her way into "Free Class" by taking advantageFact|date=July 2008 of the fact that SAIPA's team manager is also Deputy Head of the Motorcycle and Automobile Federation of IR Iran (MAFIRI) -- a man called Hossein Shahriari.

However, Seddigh's high risk strategy collapsed when she suffered engine malfunctions on lap 5. She withdrew from the race and suspicious MAFIRI race officials later visited her garage in Karaj, where they found evidence of the car switching ploy.

Seddigh maintains that she did not actually break any rules per se. She has vowed to fight the ban. The story is featured in a BBC TV documentary called "Girl Racer" to be transmitted in early 2008.

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/12/ADCA938F-6306-4EF8-A2A4-DBA70E4A9183.html

Quotes

"Resistance from men does not bother me. Once I get on the track I like to use my technical skills, take control and dominate the other drivers."

"Most of them, I think, are jealous, and I don't care about that. I am just going and going and hoping to be champion in the next years and I will really try to achieve that goal."

"Every time I want to practice or make a test drive, the track staff ask me for a letter of permission -- even though I am the captain of the Proton speed team. Men never have this kind of hassle."

External links

* [http://www.lalehseddigh.net Official Website]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4349341.stm BBC News Article on Laleh Seddigh]
* [http://www.iranian.com/PhotoDay/2005/March/Images/sed.jpgHer photo] at Iranian.com
* [http://observer.guardian.co.uk/osm/story/0,,2023234,00.html Iran's speed queen] , The Observer

See also

* List of famous Iranian women
* Iranian women's movement
* Danica Patrick, Famous Female American racing driver