The 2026 Australian GP will mark a new milestone in F1 history, with Albert Park Circuit dedicating Turn 6 for the first time to two trailblazing female engineers, Laura Mueller and Hannah Schmitz, as part of the “In Her Corner” initiative celebrating International Women’s Day.
In line with the popular tradition of motorsport circuits worldwide naming certain corners after the most noteworthy people associated with the racing industry, Albert Park will add two more names to this prestigious list in about two weeks’ time as eleven teams hit the track for the season opener in Melbourne.
“In Her Corner” is a collaborative partnership between Engineers Australia and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation in celebration of International Women’s Day. What makes this momentous occasion more befitting is that the global motorsport community will witness Mueller and Schmitz become the first women to have a corner of an F1 circuit named after them.
In addition to the naming of Turn 6, an exclusive event at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit will commemorate “In Her Corner” on March 5, with a guest list all set to inspire the next generation of engineers.
F1 presenter and former Head of Race Strategy for Sauber Ruth Buscombe will do the honours of hosting the event, and the ticketed lunch will include panels with Schmitz and Mueller, F1 Academy drivers Aiva Anagnostiadis and Joanne Ciconte, and world champion rally driver Molly Taylor. This exciting initiative will also feature an interview with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali.
International Women’s Day falls on Sunday, March 8, the same day the lights go out for the 2026 F1 Australian GP at the Albert Park Circuit in Melbourne.
Who are Mueller and Schmitz, the trailblazing female F1 engineers Albert Park is honouring?
Laura Mueller made history in 2025 as she earned a promotion from her role as Performance Engineer to become the first woman to take on the high-profile full-time position of Race Engineer at the Haas F1 team.
Currently working with Esteban Ocon, Mueller joined the American team in 2022. She started in the simulator department before working her way up to supporting roles at races.
Aside from Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu depicting Mueller as a “determined character”, Ocon has also been effusive about the German engineer’s work ethic.
To an F1 enthusiast, the name Hannah Schmitz needs no introduction. Considered one of the most brilliant strategists in the modern era of the sport, she played an instrumental role in Max Verstappen’s dominance in recent years as Red Bull’s Principal Strategy Engineer.
Since joining Red Bull Racing as a student intern in 2009, Schmitz has worked with the majority of drivers in the team’s history. She moved to the role of Senior Strategy Engineer in 2011, where she played a key role in the Milton Keynes outfit’s live strategy.
In 2021, the Brit finally assumed the role of Principal Strategy Engineer. She is also one of only eleven women to have stood on the F1 podium to accept the constructors’ trophy.
Hailed as “insanely calm” by Verstappen, Schmitz has overseen numerous split-second decisions and simulations that underpinned race-winning strategies and helped the team secure the constructors’ championships in 2022 and 2023.
Why does this initiative hold importance in F1 and beyond?
Addressing the efforts of Albert Park and Engineers Australia that will recognise the inspiring F1 careers of Laura Mueller and Hannah Schmitz, Engineers Australia Chief Engineer Katherine Richards, said:
“Engineers Australia is proud to partner with the Australian Grand Prix Corporation to launch In Her Corner and rename a turn on one of the world’s most iconic circuits after two women currently shaping F1.
“In Her Corner celebrates the talent, leadership and drive of two engineers who are redefining what’s possible, not just in F1, but across engineering, technology and business.”
Mueller commented:
“The ‘In Her Corner’ initiative promotes the importance of ‘if you can see it, you can be it,’ so the more we can all do to shine a light on the overall achievement of women in engineering is a great thing.
“To be a part of this acknowledgement so early on in my F1 career is an honour. I hope it motivates girls and young adults to pursue a career in STEM. It’s important to recognise women’s accomplishments in motorsport so far, and it’s great to be alongside Hannah for this.”
Schmitz added:
“I absolutely love my job and if you have the privilege of that choice also then make sure it’s the right role for you. I was always curious about how things work and loved cars. At school I had some amazing support and encouragement from teachers that opened my eyes to the world of engineering, they were my inspiration.
“For me it has been an absolute honour to get to represent the team on the podium. In Qatar last season, it was incredible to be in the fight for the driver championship and the way everyone come together as a team was something special to be a part of.”
