The Australian Grand Prix will rename turn 6 in honour of Haas’ Laura Müller and Red Bull’s Hannah Schmitz. The renamed “In Her Corner” will be a dedication to the women shaping Formula 1 in celebration of International Women’s Day.
A prestigious honour
Many circuits have corners named after influential figures of motorsport to honour their accomplishments or their contributions to the sport. Some noteworthy examples are the Hamilton Straight at Silverstone and the Curva Alboreto at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. Müller and Schmitz made history as the first women to have an F1 circuit corner named after them.
The renaming of turn 6 is the fruition of the In Her Corner initiative. This initiative is a partnership between Engineers Australia and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation to inspire the next generation of engineers.
The women shaping motorsport
Laura Müller made headlines in 2025 when she became the first female race engineer in Formula 1’s history. The German has worked as Haas driver Esteban Ocon’s primary race engineer since the Frenchman’s move to Haas at the start of the 2025 F1 season. Ocon has stated on multiple occasions that he enjoys working with Müller and has labelled the experience “very impressive”.
The German spoke on the In Her Corner initiative and her hopes for the future of motorsport in response to the news. Müller added that it was an honour and she hopes to serve as an inspiration for the next generation of engineers espesically the young girls.
“The ‘In Her Corner’ initiative promotes the importance of ‘if you can see it, you can be it,’ so the more we can all do to shine a light on the overall achievement of women in engineering is a great thing.”
“To be a part of this acknowledgement so early on in my Formula 1 career is an honour, and I hope it motivates girls and young adults to pursue a career in STEM. It’s important to recognise women’s accomplishments in motorsport so far, and it’s great to be alongside Hannah for this.”
Hannah Schmitz is a familiar face for those who watch the sport. Although she isn’t in the car every weekend, one can argue that her race strategies were key to Max Verstappen’s championship-winning seasons. The 40-year-old is the current Principal Strategy Engineer for Oracle Red Bull Racing’s F1 team and has had her seat on the pit wall since 2011. Her rise to fame came after the 2019 Brazilian Grand Prix, where her call to pit driver, Max Verstappen, after a late safety car resulted in him regaining the lead against Lewis Hamilton. Hannah’s efforts were recognised when she was later brought onto the podium to celebrate.
Schmitz shared her love for the job and how she came to develop a love for engineering. She also spoke on her journey thus far with Red Bull and how special it has been to be a part of the celebrations.
“I absolutely love my job and if you have the privilege of that choice also then make sure it’s the right role for you. I was always curious about how things work and loved cars. At school I had some amazing support and encouragement from teachers that opened my eyes to the world of engineering, they were my inspiration.”
“For me it has been an absolute honour to represent the team on the podium. In Qatar last season, it was incredible to be in the fight for the Drivers’ Championship, witnessing the way everyone came together as a team was something very special to be a part of.”
Just the beginning
Engineers Australia Chief Engineer, Katherine Richards, also spoke on the In Her Corner initiative and the significance of celebrating the women reshaping Formula 1, such as Müller and Schmitz. She added that the initiative was much more than just celebrating and uplifting women in Formula 1, but also celebrated women in other aspects of the engineering industry.
“Engineers Australia is proud to partner with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation to launch In Her Corner and name a turn on one of the world’s most iconic circuits after two women currently shaping Formula 1.”
“In Her Corner celebrates the talent, leadership and drive of two engineers who are redefining what’s possible, not just in Formula 1, but across engineering, technology and business.”
