María de Villota passes away, aged 33 years

The only female World Touring Car Championship driver to date, María de Villota, has died at the age of 33 in a hotel in the Spanish city of Seville.

The de Villota family posted this message on social networking site Facebook today, translated by AUTOSPORT:

“Dear friends: Maria has left us.

“She had to go to heaven like all angels. We are thankful to God for the extra year and a half that he left her with us.”

De Villota had a short spell in touring cars in the mid-00s before returning to single seaters, racing for the Swiss Maurer Motorsport team in the German ADAC Procar Series and in two rounds of the FIA World Touring Car Championship between 2006-2007.

De Villota won a race at the Nürburgring in the ADAC Procar Series, and scored a best result of 18th in the WTCC at her home race in Valencia during 2007.

In July 2012, she suffered damage to her skull and lost the sight in her right eye after a straight-line test with the Marussia Formula One at the Duxford Aerodrome in the UK.

Since the crash, de Villota had become involved with the FIA’s programmes, becoming a Women in Motor Sport ambassador for the sporting governing body and working on their Action for Road Safety initiative.

A statement from the FIA president Jean Todt reads:
“Today is a tragic day for motor sport. My deepest condolences go to the de Villota family. María was a fantastic driver, a leading light for women in motor sport and a tireless campaigner for road safety.

“Above all she was a friend I deeply admired,” he added. “Through her courage, strength and determination she transformed her personal misfortune on the track into a powerful message for road safety that was heard at race tracks and beyond around the world. María was a beloved member of the FIA family. Our thoughts go to her family today.”

TouringCarTimes wishes to add its condolences to the family and friends of María.