Roscrea racer Nicole named as Rosemary Smith Award winner

Roscrea's famous racecar driver, Nicole Drought, was announced as the recipient of the Rosemary Smith Award at the Motorsport Ireland Champions of Irish Motorsport Awards 2025 in Dublin last week.

The award was commissioned in 2024, and it honours the legacy of Rosemary Smith. It is presented annually to a female driver who carries on her spirit and legacy.

Rosemary Smith was a winner on the race circuits and rally stages, not just in Ireland but on the European and the World stage during her glittering career. Long after she had retired from competitive competition, she was invited by Renault to test drive their F1 car in France and, aged 88 at the time, she remains the oldest person ever to drive an F1 car.

There are a number of parallels between Nicole and Rosemary as Nicole, now a multiple champion and accomplished race driver, has also achieved success in other disciplines, twice taking the class Championship in Endurance Trials and adding a class win on her rally debut in the Killarney Historic Rally back in 2021.

She too, has sampled F1 power, testing a March 811 at Mondello Park in 2021 and a Jordan F193 at the Palm Beach International Raceway in the US the following year.

"I'm really happy with this award. Rosemary was an inspiration to me growing up and I was lucky enough to meet her on a number of occasions in more recent times,” Nicole said.

“We had lunch a few times in Dublin and she always offered me advice and support. We even starred together in a TV Ad for Tesco for International Women's Day back in 2020!

Nicole took five wins in three different countries in 2025, including this win on the Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit in April

“I have been lucky enough to collect quite a few awards during my motorsport career but I really do think this one tops them all.

“I would like to say a sincere thank you to Motorsport Ireland and the MI Womens' Commission for recognising my achievements this far and giving me an award I will treasure,” Nicole said.

Nicole is backed by Gem Oils, ITM Naas, Siltex Safety, Joe Mallon Motor Group, RAC Air Conditioning, Mondello Park and IEC Solutions. Nicole's 2026 plans will be announced in January.

ROSEMARY SMITH

Rosemary Smith was a trailblazer in Irish motorsport and remains the country’s most successful female driver.
During the 1960s - an era when very few women competed in motorsport of any description - her passion, courage and exceptional talent broke boundaries and inspired generations.

Over her remarkable career, Smith contested more than 90 rallies across Ireland and Europe, including eight Monte Carlo Rallies, and became the first woman ever to win the Tulip Rally outright.

She also tackled some of the world’s toughest endurance events, among them the London to Sydney Rally, the London–Mexico Rally, the Acropolis Rally and Canada’s Shell 4000 Rally.

In 2017, at the age of 79, she made history once again, becoming the oldest person ever to drive a modern Formula 1 car.
Her contribution to global motoring heritage was formally recognised in 2022 with her induction into the FIVA Hall of Fame.
Rosemary Smith passed away on December 5th, two years ago this week.

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Before her death, she entrusted a trophy to the RIAC, expressing her wish that it be awarded within Irish motorsport.

The Rosemary Smith Trophy continues to honour that wish each year by recognising excellence, determination and achievement by women competing in the sport today.