Maria Teresa de Filippis (11 November 1926) was an Italian racing driver, and the world’s first woman to race in Formula One. In 1958, she signed with the Maserati team to race in Formula One. She participated in five World Championship Grands Prix.

De Filippis was born in Marigliano, Italy, and began her racing career in 1953. She quickly rose through the ranks of motorsport, and in 1958, she became the first woman to qualify for a Formula One race. She competed in the Monaco Grand Prix, but retired with a mechanical problem.

De Filippis went on to race in four more Formula One races. She faced sexism and prejudice from many of her male counterparts, but she persevered in her pursuit of her dream.

After her retirement, de Filippis became a vocal advocate for women in motorsport. She was inducted into the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1997.

According to the Internet