DRIVING FORWARD: A DAY AT THE MASERATI WOMEN'S DRIVE SUMMIT

International Women’s Day can be marked in many ways: flowers, speeches, panel discussions. Maserati, however, chose something far more appropriate - handing a group of women the keys to several of its most powerful cars and inviting us to drive them at full throttle around the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit.

During International Women’s Week, the Italian marque hosted its special Women’s Drive Summit, bringing together women from across the automotive world - journalists, content creators, TV presenters and professional drivers - to celebrate the growing influence of women in a space that, for far too long, was considered a man’s domain.

The event also paid tribute to one of motorsport’s earliest female pioneers, Maria Teresa de Filippis. Had she been alive today, she would have been celebrating her 100th birthday - a reminder that women have been pushing boundaries in racing for far longer than most people realise!

And what better place to honour that legacy than Goodwood.

Founded in 1948, Goodwood remains one of the world’s oldest surviving motor circuits still in its original form. The track has hosted decades of motorsport history, from early Formula 1 racing to modern celebrations such as the Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival. Driving here isn’t simply about completing laps - it’s about feeling part of the story.

Engines On

After a warm welcome, breakfast and introductions, the day quickly moved from polite conversation to something far more exciting: getting behind the wheel.

The lineup waiting for us was enough to make even the calmest guest grin slightly too widely. I, for one, was positively giddy with excitement!

First up was the elegant yet ferocious Maserati GranTurismo. Powered by Maserati’s twin-turbo Nettuno V6, it delivers serious supercar performance while still embodying the brand’s grand-touring DNA - effortless speed, beautiful balance and an exhaust note that is unmistakably Italian.

Next came the Grecale, Maserati’s luxury performance SUV that somehow manages to combine practicality with surprising agility. On paper, it’s the sensible one in the lineup, but on the track it proved anything but dull. Quick steering, confident grip and an eager engine made it far more playful than an SUV has any right to be.

But the star of the day for many of us was the supercar: the MCPura Cielo. With its carbon-fibre monocoque chassis, 621-horsepower twin-turbo V6 and dramatic butterfly doors, it rockets from 0-60 mph in under three seconds and reaches top speeds of around 202 mph.

Driving it around Goodwood felt less like a test drive and more like plugging directly into the car’s energy. The sheer power and capability demanded instant respect, yet once you settled into its rhythm it became an exhilarating privilege to handle around such a historic circuit.

The sound, the responsiveness, the sheer theatre of it all - this is a car designed not simply to go fast, but to stir something in you. When I swapped seats and let Lucy, one of the UK’s most promising young racing drivers, take the wheel, that feeling only intensified. From the passenger seat you begin to understand what the car is truly capable of - the braking later, the cornering tighter, the acceleration more ferocious than I had dared attempt myself.

The result was utterly thrilling and slightly addictive. The sort of experience that made you immediately want another lap (and makes you want to tell anyone who’d listen about it all afterwards)!

Next up (and just when we thought the adrenaline quota had been reached), Maserati had one final surprise waiting.

We climbed into the passenger seat of the extraordinary MCXtrema - a track-only racing machine built in an ultra-limited run of just 62 cars worldwide. With around 730 horsepower from its race-tuned twin-turbo Nettuno V6 and a top speed exceeding 320 km/h (just shy of 200 mph), the MCXtrema is less “car” and more mechanical missile.

Being driven around Goodwood by its owner Mike - who had joined us especially for the day and who’d happily volunteered himself to be our adrenaline chauffeur - was an experience best described as controlled chaos. The acceleration is violent, the cornering forces startling, and the sound sits somewhere between a fighter jet and a particularly ferocious Italian opera!

Needless to say, polite conversation in the passenger seat was not an option.

Women Driving the Industry Forward

Beyond the driving, the event carried a deeper message.

We heard from Maserati’s newly appointed General Manager, Mariangela Del Vecchio, who spoke passionately about visibility, inclusiveness and representation for women in the automotive world. Alongside her was Valentina Mellano, GTM and Product Marketing Manager for the GranTurismo and GranCabrio, who was on hand throughout the day to answer questions and share insights about the cars.

The young professional female racing drivers leading the sessions were also a constant source of inspiration. Listening to them guide us while driving and watching them handle the cars with such confidence was proof that the next generation of talent is already accelerating into the future. Special thanks from me to Lydia and Lucy, who made sure we all found our racing lines – eventually! Overall, the event made us all feel something both simple and powerful: that progress happens faster when women are included - and when they support one another.

Tea, Laughter and New Connections

After the track sessions came a rather more British tradition: afternoon tea.

It was here that the atmosphere shifted from adrenaline to camaraderie. Over delicate cakes and warm scones, conversations flowed easily. Women from very different corners of the industry swapped stories, advice and plenty of laughter.

What stood out most was the genuine warmth in the room. There was no competition, no posturing - just encouragement, shared excitement and the quiet understanding that everyone present was part of something bigger.

Events like this don’t just celebrate women in automotive; they create the networks and friendships that help shape its future.

Final Thoughts

As daylight started dissipating over the historic circuit and engines finally cooled after a day of exhilarating laps, it was hard not to reflect on the significance of it all.

Yes, the cars were extraordinary.
Yes, the driving was unforgettable.

But the real highlight was the community.

From honouring pioneers like Maria Teresa de Filippis to watching a new generation of female drivers carve their own path, the Maserati Women’s Drive Summit felt less like a one-day event and more like a glimpse of where the industry is heading.

After a day of supercars, racing lines and unexpectedly competitive cornering, one thing was certain: the automotive world is changing - and it sounds rather good with women on the throttle.

#Maserati #InternationalWomensWeek