"Let her wear a helmet only at the hairdresser's." The aristocrat broke down prejudices, but death crushed her.

Maria Teresa de Filippis, the first woman to drive in Formula 1, was born on November 11, 1926, in Naples. She began her motorsport journey after a bet with her brothers led her to racing. Despite facing skepticism in a male-dominated sport, she made her F1 debut in 1958 with Maserati. Although she didn't qualify for the Monaco Grand Prix, she became the first woman to start a Formula 1 race in Belgium, finishing tenth. Her career was cut short after the tragic death of her friend Jean Behra in 1959, leading her to retire from racing. De Filippis remained an inspiration for future generations of female racers until her passing in January 2016.