Industry firsts stacking up in another innovative year for women in sport with Germany’s Laura Mueller setting to out become F1’s first female Race Engineer. Photo: F1

The new year is well upon us and 2025 is looking to be yet another big one for women’s sport if January is anything to go by, with the Baby Proteas U21 Netball team sweeping Jamaica U21’s 3-nil in Kingston, and the unbeaten SA U19 cricket team cruising into Friday’s semi-final in Kuala Lumpur.

Many regard Germany’s Laura Mueller as the International trailblazer of the moment after the announcement that she would be Haas’s new Race Engineer, and also the first woman in motorsport to earn that title.

The Race Engineer plays an integral role as the most senior person on the track on Formula 1 race day, as the go-between the driver and their team, on and off the track, and Mueller has appointed as Race Engineer for Esteban Ocon, who joins the team as one of the team’s new drivers. 

Speaking on f1.com, Haas boss Ayao Komatsu showered his newest team member with praise. “She’s a pretty determined character, and then she’s very hardworking. Her work ethic is good.”

“She’s going to be Esteban’s Race Engineer. Looking at it personality-wise, Esteban is a pretty determined character as well. So that side, I think the driving force, I believe that personality matches pretty well.”

Haas FI Team Boss Boss, Ayao Komatsu

“And then what she’s good at is, when she sees a problem, she digs deep, and she doesn’t stop at the first answer. Some people, when they find the answer, first answer, they stop there. They think, ‘Oh, great, I found the solution, move on’.

“She has a good work ethic such that when she finds the first solution, she knows that there are 10 things, now you’ve got new questions to answer. Her determination is the one that impresses me the most.”

Another milestone event taking place this week is the Women’s Ashes Test which will be played for at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from Thursday, 30 January 2025. The day-night Test match forms part of the multi-format Ashes Test Series that the home side a leading 12-0. The momentous occasion couldn’t come at a more significant time as Women’s Test cricket celebrates its 90th anniversary. 

This isn’t the first time a day-night test will be played Down Under, the first match of this kind took place at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2017. 

“We’re acutely aware that there’s not going to be 87,000 people coming through the gates on every day, but [someone] was asking me, ‘Would you rather play at North Sydney in front of 4,000 or challenge the norm and play at the MCG and see how many we can get?'” Australia captain Alyssa Healy told ABC Sport in a previous interview. 

“For sure, the MCG. We grew up watching Test cricket just like everybody else and wanting to run out in our baggy greens. So, having that opportunity is cool.”

The Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) also takes place this year from 5 June – 26 July 2025 in Morocco. Banyana Banyana who are the current champions will be looking to successfully retain their title. They are in Group C and will take on the likes of Ghana, Mali and Tanzania. 

Staying on the soccer front The U17’s FIFA Women’s World Cup happens from 17 October – 8 November 2025 and Bantwana is busy with qualifying for the competition. They made easy work of their qualifier against Gabon which they won 21-2 on aggregate, they next face soccer powerhouse Nigeria in the next qualifying round. 

There will also be a Women’s Rugby World Cup taking place in England and the Springbok Women have started their preparations in earnest for the tournament. Swys de Bruin and his team will be putting their skills to the test from 22 August to 27 September 2025. This years event is set to be one of the best attended Women’s World Cup’s as tickets are selling fast. 


Main Photo Caption: Industry firsts stacking up in another innovative year for women in sport with Germany’s Laura Mueller setting to out become F1’s first female Race Engineer. Photo: F1

Photo 2 Caption: Mueller has been appointed as Formula 1 Race Engineer for Esteban Ocon, who joins the team as one of the team’s new drivers. Photo: F1

Photo 3 Caption: Mueller will play an integral role as the most senior person on the track on race day, as the go-between the driver and their team. Photo: F1

Photo 4 Caption: Another milestone event taking place is the day/night Ashes Test to be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground from Thursday. Photo: England Cricket

Photo 5 Caption: The historic occasion couldn’t come at a more significant time, as Women’s Test cricket celebrates its 90th anniversary. Photo: Australian Women’s Cricket

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