Leena Gade facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Leena Gade
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| Born | 1975/1976 (age 48–49) Perivale, United Kingdom
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| Alma mater | University of Manchester |
| Occupation | Race engineer |
| Known for | First female race engineer to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans |
Leena Gade is a talented British race engineer. She has worked as a main engineer for top racing teams in major competitions. These include the FIA World Endurance Championship and the IndyCar series. In 2011, she made history. She became the first woman race engineer to win the famous 24 Hours of Le Mans race. Her achievements were recognized with awards. She also helps encourage more women to join motorsport as an Ambassador.
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Early Life and Education
Leena Gade was born in Perivale, United Kingdom. Her parents were immigrants from India. She grew up in England with her two sisters. For three years, between ages 9 and 12, her family lived in India. During this time, Leena and her younger sister Teena became interested in engineering.
When they returned to England, both sisters started watching Formula One racing. Leena Gade has shared that they became very dedicated fans. They were not drawn by the glitz of the sport. Instead, they were fascinated by "what the machines could do." Leena Gade's sister, Teena, also became a race engineer.
Leena Gade studied engineering at the University of Manchester. She earned a Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering in 1998. She was one of only five female students in a class of 100 when she started university.
Leena Gade's Engineering Career
After university, Leena Gade worked for Jaguar Cars. She was a vehicle refinement engineer for six and a half years. At the same time, she worked part-time as an engineer for racing teams. These teams competed in Formula BMW, A1 Grand Prix, and GT racing classes.
Success at Le Mans
In 2006, she attended the 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time. She was part of the Chamberlain Synergy Le Mans Prototype team. In 2007, she began working for Audi Sport Team Joest.
In 2011, Leena Gade made history. She became the first female race engineer to win at Le Mans. She worked with drivers André Lotterer, Benoît Tréluyer, and Marcel Fässler. Her team won again in 2012 and 2014.
In 2012, Gade moved to Germany. There, she helped develop new race cars for Audi. She also continued her role as a race engineer. When the Audi LMP1 program ended in 2016, Gade moved to work for Bentley Motorsport.
Awards and Recognition
In December 2012, Leena Gade received a special honor. She was named the FIA World Endurance Championship 'Man of the Year'. In the same month, she also received the C&R Racing Women in Technology award.
In 2013, she became an ambassador for the FIA Commission for Women in Motorsport. This role helps encourage more women to get involved in racing. She was also a Formula Student ambassador in 2013 and 2014.
Later Career Roles
In 2018, Leena Gade took on a new role. She became the race engineer for James Hinchcliffe. This was part of Schmidt Peterson Motorsports's IndyCar program. Gade and the team later separated. This happened after Hinchcliffe did not qualify for the 2018 Indianapolis 500 race.
In 2019, Canada's Multimatic hired Gade. She engineered the No. 77 Mazda RT24-P Daytona Prototype International (DPi) car. This car competed in the WeatherTech Sportscar Championship. Later that year, she was appointed president of the FIA GT Commission. This role involves overseeing global grand tourer racing.
