Aurora Straus, Christina Nielsen, and Katherine Legge will make history in 2021 as the first all-female lineup in SRO America, debuting with Murillo Racing in Pirelli GT4 America driving the #43 Porsche 718 GT4. Straus and Nielsen will drive in most of the races, with Legge serving as program mentor. This effort is sponsored by Richard Mille, Arch Capital Group, Supergoop!, and Sabelt.
Aurora Straus is a full-time student at Harvard University and has a history of success with both SRO Pirelli GT4 America and Porsche. In 2017, while in high school, she made her professional racing debut with IMSA in a Porsche Cayman, ending the season as the highest-finishing rookie. In 2018, Straus deferred her acceptance to Harvard to compete for a full season in Pirelli World Challenge GT4 (now SRO America), where she took four podiums – including two wins – and finished second overall for the season championship. Straus is also the founder of Girls With Drive, an initiative that runs trackside educational and mentoring programs for young girls to inspire them to pursue automotive careers.
“I’m delighted to be competing in SRO with Christina and Kat. I grew up watching them race, at a time when I was routinely the only girl at the racetrack. If you can’t see it, you can’t be it, and their success was a huge factor in my decision to race. I’m incredibly grateful that our goals align, and that we have genuine partners in Murillo Racing, Richard Mille, and others who also believe in our mission to inspire young women in motorsport,” Straus said.
“Anyone who has met Christina and Kat knows that they are fierce competitors and also fierce partners. We describe ourselves as three women, no limits for a reason: our belief that women are stronger together. We hope this program inspires future female racers just like Christina and Kat inspired me.”
Christina Nielsen is no stranger to making history. In 2016, she became the first woman to win a WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, following this achievement with a second consecutive WeatherTech championship in 2017. In 2018, she competed in a Porsche 911 GT3R with Wright Motorsports, taking eight top-ten finishes and one win. She is also the founder of Accelerating Change, which runs women’s track days across the USA.
“I am excited to be joining Aurora in the Porsche GT4 in SRO America for 2021! We have brought together a team that will present a strong united front within the racing community to show diversity in the sport,” Nielsen said. “This vision for equality is shared by partners like Richard Mille, and I am grateful to join another program that the company is supporting.”
Katherine Legge is a household name in racing for a reason – her resume includes European Formula 3, Champ Cars, IndyCar, Formula E, and NASCAR. In 2000, she was the first female driver to qualify on pole in the British Formula Ford Championship, and subsequently progressed through open-wheel series like British Formula Renault, Formula 3, and Toyota Atlantic. With eleven podium finishes in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship, Legge knows how to win.
“I am so proud of what Aurora has achieved in her career thus far. She and Christina will make an excellent pairing. Richard Mille has been championing women drivers for a while now, and it’s through their iconic brand that we can create a force to be reckoned with in North America,” Legge said. “I’m looking forward to seeing what the RM crew will achieve with Murillo Racing, and I will be standing with them every step of the way.”
The #43 Porsche 718 GT4 MR will be supported by Murillo Racing, a veteran racing team with a history of success. In 2014 and 2017, the team won championships in IMSA in a Porsche Cayman. In 2019, Murillo Racing won the GT4 America championship. This year, they plan to fight for another championship running a Porsche, this time in SRO.