Lewis Hamilton mourns the death of Motorsports trailblazer Mary McGee just months after meeting her in Canada

F1 Grand Prix of Canada - Source: Getty
Lewis Hamilton mourns the death of Motorsports trailblazer Mary McGee just months after meeting her in Canada (Getty Images)

Lewis Hamilton paid respect to Mary McGee, the first woman to participate in Motorcycle racing in the United States. He is also the executive producer of her short documentary, Motorcycle Mary.

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Mary McGee passed away on the November 27th, aged 87. She was an influential figure for women in motorsports. After marrying Don McGee, he introduced her to racing which got her involved. Although she was also behind the wheels of many cars, she ultimately put her hand on motorcycles. Not only was she the first woman in the US to race on two wheels, she was the first person to solo the Baja 500 on a motorcycle.

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Lewis Hamilton had the chance to meet her earlier this year in Montreal during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend. He is also the executive producer of the short documentary based on her life called Motorcycle Mary. Hamilton mourned her loss on social media. He wrote:

"I’m deeply saddened to hear that Mary McGee, the first woman to road race motorcycles in the U.S and the first person to solo the Baja 500 has passed on. My condolences to her family and everyone who she’s inspired. Her legacy will live on as a trailblazer in the world of Motorsports and beyond.
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"I had the honour to meet Mary and help support a short documentary about her incredible journey. Her grit and unshakable determination will continue to inspire me, always. Link to @motorcycle.mary in stories, hope you give it a watch ❤️ Thank you for everything, Mary."
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Mary McGee remains the only woman to have finished the Baja 500. Furthermore, she was the first woman to participate in the Baja 1000. She was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2018.


"It was about freedom": What Mary McGee said about racing regarding her Lewis Hamilton-produced documentary

Motorcycle Mary was premiered at the Tribeca Festival back in June this year. The short documentary catches moments of Mary McGee's life and how motorsports influenced her career.

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Speaking about the documentary, McGee said racing was more than competition for her.

"Racing was never just about competition for me—it was about freedom, courage, and pushing myself beyond limits," she said when the documentary was released (via Deadline). "I’m proud to share my journey in Motorcycle Mary. I hope my story inspires women and shows that with determination, anyone can carve their own path, no matter the odds."

Lewis Hamilton had invited McGee to Canada as a special guest. They shared a conversation before the race.

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Edited by Luke Koshi
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