(Motorsport-Total.com) – The Australian Grand Prix is naming Turn 6 of the Albert Park Circuit after Esteban Ocon’s race engineer Laura Müller and Red Bull’s head of strategy Hannah Schmitz. As part of the “In Her Corner” initiative, a partnership between Engineers Australia and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation, this honor is being bestowed to mark International Women’s Day.
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Schmitz started at Red Bull in 2009 as a modeling and strategy engineer. In 2011, she took over the position of senior strategy engineer before being promoted to principal strategy engineer in 2021.
The 40-year-old is one of only eleven women who have already stood on the Formula 1 podium to accept the trophy for the winning constructor.
“I love my job, and if you have the privilege of being able to choose your profession, then you should make sure it’s the right one for you,” says Schmitz, revealing: “I’ve always been curious about how things work and I loved cars.”
“In school, I had great support and encouragement from teachers who opened up the world of engineering to me. They were my inspiration,” says Schmitz, who emphasizes: “For me, it was an absolute honor to represent the team on the podium.”
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“In Qatar last season, it was incredible to be part of the fight for the Drivers’ World Championship. Seeing how everyone worked together as a team was something very special.”
Müller joined Haas in 2022 in the simulation department before working her way up through various support roles at the races. In 2024, she served as a performance engineer before becoming Ocon’s race engineer in 2025.
The German engineer says: “The ‘In Her Corner’ initiative emphasizes how important it is that you can achieve something if you can see it. The more we do to highlight the achievements of women in engineering, the better.”
“To be part of this recognition so early in my Formula 1 career is an honor. I hope it motivates girls and young adults to pursue a career in STEM subjects. It is important to recognize the past achievements of women in motorsport, and I am delighted to experience this together with Hannah,” says Müller.
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