Straus and Tan break record at COTA
Aurora Straus took a win in her first professional race this weekend
Circuit of the Americas played host to a Pirelli World Challenge first this weekend, as two women lead two classes at the same time.
Samantha Tan, 20, and Aurora Straus, 19, lead the pro/am GTS-X and the am/am GTSA-X classes respectively on Sunday, with the pair both picking up podiums in the ST Racing BMW M4 GT4s.
Samantha Tan & Nick Wittmer (left) lift their third place trophies while Aurora Straus & Al Carter (right) lift their winners awards
Tan, in the No. 38 car raced well but couldn't hold off Alex Welch and Justin Raphael, who made a double overtake into the final turn with around nine minutes to go. Unfortunately, a full track caution halted any attempt from Tan of winning back those positions.
Meanwhile, Straus guided her No. 36 car to the victory alongside co-driver Al Carter, fantastically avoiding a spinning car in front of her to safely bring the car home. It was a brilliant start to Straus' time in the World Challenge GTSA-X, with the event at COTA making her first in the series.
As women continue the fight for equal footing in motorsport, this is a huge step in the right direction, and also a showcase of two young and hugely talented who you need to keep an eye on in years to come.