Guest blog by Thiemo Albers-Daly
Stefanie Ruecker is an Italian Rally Driver who’s been competing in motorsport for the past thirteen years. Having fallen in love with literally anything that contained an engine as a child, it perhaps isn’t surprising that Stefanie ended up as a racing driver.
Change is now in the air though and in 2024, Stefanie will be competing in the final three races of her career before she moves on to a brand new chapter of her life. While it will be sad to see her go, it is also the perfect time to look back at her career – and that’s exactly what we did when we sat down to chat earlier this year.
We talked about her first ever race, how it felt to compete in the Italian Gravel Rally Championship, her proudest moment so far and more. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
What first got you interested in Motorsport?
I wasn’t born and raised in a family of motorsport enthusiasts, so it was not an obvious path for me. But I remember that even as a child I was fascinated by anything with an engine. Occasionally I enjoyed going kart racing with my Dad but the world of motorsport for me was something I saw as almost unapproachable.
Where and when was your first race?
The first time I got into a Rally car was in a Renault Clio N3 at the Sirakusay Rally in 2011.
Did you face any obstacles when getting into motorsport?
The first difficulty I think I faced was perhaps prejudice.
The participation of women in motorsport is very low and it is often difficult to be taken seriously because of the common prejudices that the combination of women and motorsport doesn’t work.
I think the Rally environment is beautiful but at the same time, is difficult. However, I have been fortunate to have had people by my side who have helped me so much on this path, people who over time have become not only a fundamental part of the race field but also in my everyday life.
How did 2023 go for you?
2023 was a very special year for me in some ways and full of great satisfaction when it came to my racing career. I participated in the Italian Gravel Rally Championship, and it was a like a dream come true for me. Having competed for so many years and coming from a small Championship, I couldn’t believe that I was racing in this category – and I also really love gravel!
I gained valuable experience and learned the secrets of the industry thanks to interactions with experienced drivers and co-drivers and their advice.
What has been your proudest moment so far?
Without any doubt, winning the Fabaria Rally in 2016, my home race. It was my first and only overall victory, and to be able to stand on the highest podium accompanied by the cheering and warmth of the people nearby gave me emotions I will surely never forget.
If that was your proudest moment, what was your greatest success and is that something different?
I cannot name a particular moment. Having success for me means feeling accomplished, feeling to be in the right place at the right time and feeling happy.
How do you approach dealing with challenges or failures?
I don’t like the word failure; I prefer to call them life experiences. We must learn to treasure them and not commit them again.
Do you have a favorite song?
I love music in general and my favorite songs also change according to my mood but one of the songs that certainly represents me the most is Fiorella Mannoia’s “Learning to be a Woman.” It is a wonderful song dedicated to all women and the strength they put in facing the trials of life but actually it is not only a hymn to women, but to life, for each of us to safeguard our enthusiasm, the desire to let ourselves be surprised; what matters is to be an active participant, not a spectator, not even a referee.
Do you have any plans/ambitions for 2024 and beyond?
This sport has given me so much, both on a sports level and on a human level, and I feel very fortunate about that. But I feel that the time has come to devote myself to something else in life. That is why I have decided that the Targa Florio in my beloved Sicily, the oldest race in the world, will be my last Rally.
I want to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to the drivers who honored me by choosing to share the cockpit with me and to old and new friends for the many wonderful days of sports and fun spent together.
What philosophy guides your decisions and actions in life?
Never give up.
If you could talk to yourself as a child, what would you say?
I would tell her to never be discouraged and to believe in your dreams if they are the ones that make you go to bed with a smile, and to be careful to choose people who get you excited and who don’t amplify your fears.
The first of Stefanie’s final three races will be the Rally Della Val D’Orcia, part of the Italian Gravel Rally Championship taking place on the 6th and 7th April 2024.
Paddock Sorority 
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