Apart from her guest outing at Mantorp, Michelle Gatting has contested only three race weekends in 2026. Her Porsche contract also expires at the end of the year. Now the Danish driver is waiting for an FIA decision that could determine her future as a professional racing driver.
The Danish endurance racer made a guest appearance in the Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia finale at Mantorp Park after receiving an invitation from Porsche Sweden. She arrived with no previous experience of the circuit and reduced her deficit from more than a second to around four tenths in qualifying.
The result was not what the 32-year-old Porsche driver had hoped for. At the same time, the weekend gave her something that has been in short supply this year: competitive mileage behind the wheel.
Only three race weekends before Mantorp
Gatting tells CL Motorsport that before her appearance at Mantorp, she had competed in only three race weekends this season: the 24 Hours of Dubai, the Nürburgring 24 Hours and the 24 Hours of Spa. According to Gatting, she secured all three drives herself through her contacts.
“For sure, that is not optimal at all for a professional driver. If you need to be quick and good, you need to do a lot of races because the drivers you compete against are doing at least 15, and some at least 20, races a year. It is very easy for your name to be forgotten in the sport, and there are a lot of people fighting for the same seats.”
Gatting felt the lack of regular racing at the 24 Hours of Spa. She was two tenths slower than fellow Porsche driver Sven Müller in qualifying. Gatting was pleased with her lap, but believed those two tenths were missing because she had not been racing consistently.
“I have been fighting my whole life to become a professional driver, and this year my career has almost been put on hold. That has been painful.”
Refuses to pay for a seat
Michelle Gatting has been paid to race for the past eight years. Despite the uncertainty, she has no intention of bringing her own funding to buy a seat.
“I am not one of the drivers who comes with a budget. I have been paid to race for the last eight years of my life. With the experience I have and what I have achieved over the years, I do not think it would be fair for me to have to pay to race now.”
She also acknowledges that the market is changing. Competition for seats is fierce, while many drivers arrive with substantial budgets and sponsor backing.
FIA decision could determine her future
Gatting is currently rated Gold under the FIA driver categorisation system. The grading is used when teams assemble their line-ups, and many GT and endurance categories require a specific combination of drivers from different ratings.
As a Gold-rated driver, Gatting filled the professional role within Iron Dames. She has now applied to be downgraded to Silver for next season. Gatting believes she would be an attractive option as a quick Silver, whereas retaining Gold status leaves her competing with the fastest professional drivers for a limited number of seats.
“Right now, many people ask me: Are you Gold or Silver? I tell them that I hope I will be Silver, but right now I am Gold. Then they say: We will talk to you if you are Silver.”
“A lot depends on the FIA right now because they can basically ruin my career if they do not decide to downgrade me to Silver, which I believe they should do.”
If the request is rejected, Gatting says the decision can be appealed. Until then, she describes the situation as a waiting game for both herself and the teams that have shown interest.
Porsche contract expires at the end of 2026
At the same time, Gatting is trying to extend her agreement with Porsche, which expires after the season. She stresses that any extension must also come on terms she can accept. Her priority for 2027 is a full programme with significantly more racing.
“I know for a fact that if I do not race more, my career will end. I need to do more than three races, that is for sure.”
One option she is working on is a full season in the Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie, NLS, in a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup. It is not her first choice. Gatting would also like opportunities in the Porsche 911 GT3 R, but ten races at the Nürburgring would provide valuable mileage and experience.
She also wants to return to Le Mans. Gatting has made six starts in the French 24-hour classic so far.
“I have to do Le Mans at least ten times before I die. That is for sure.”
