Leena Gade – Mastermind Behind Endurance Racing Victories
From Mechanical Engineering Graduate to World Endurance Championship Winning Race Engineer, Leading Teams to Triumph at Le Mans and Beyond
Leena Gade’s name is synonymous with precision, strategy, and innovation in motorsport engineering. Born on May 20, 1979, in Manchester, United Kingdom, she developed an early fascination with cars and mechanics, inspired by her parents’ encouragement to pursue science and engineering. After completing a degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Leeds, Leena entered the world of motorsport — a field traditionally dominated by men — and quickly made her mark with her analytical skills, technical expertise, and calm under pressure.
Her early career involved working with junior racing teams in Britain, where she honed her skills in data analysis, race strategy, and vehicle dynamics. These foundational experiences prepared her for the leap to endurance racing, where her strategic thinking and attention to detail would become her greatest strengths. In 2007, Leena joined Audi Sport Team Joest in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), working initially as a performance engineer. Her meticulous approach to telemetry, setup, and race strategy soon earned her the trust of drivers and team principals alike.
Leena’s career reached new heights in 2011, when she became the race engineer for Audi’s LMP1 prototype team. Her guidance helped the team secure victories at prestigious endurance races, including multiple 24 Hours of Le Mans wins. Leena is widely recognized as the first female race engineer to win Le Mans, a historic achievement that highlighted her technical acumen, leadership, and ability to make split-second decisions under immense pressure. Over the years, she has guided numerous drivers to championship titles in WEC, building a reputation as a strategic mastermind and problem solver.
Beyond the racetrack, Leena has become an advocate for women in engineering and motorsport, mentoring aspiring female engineers and speaking at conferences and universities around the world. She emphasizes that success in motorsport requires a combination of technical knowledge, resilience, and teamwork, inspiring young engineers to pursue careers in high-performance motorsport and automotive engineering.
Today, Leena Gade continues to be a trailblazer, not just in endurance racing, but across all areas of motorsport engineering. She is celebrated for her innovative strategies, leadership skills, and mentorship, influencing the next generation of engineers and demonstrating that excellence in motorsport is defined by skill, dedication, and passion, regardless of gender. Her legacy proves that the impact of women in motorsport extends far beyond the cockpit, shaping the future of racing through engineering brilliance and visionary leadership.