13/3/1957
Record updated 12-Mar-07
Nettan Lindgren, a feisty female Swedish racing driver well known for her broad experience in various formulae, most notably Swedish Touring Cars. In Britain she is most famous for her contretemps with former F1 driver Jonathon Palmer after he had punted her off the track.
Nettan Lindgren started racing in karts in 1973 moving up to Fromula Ford. In 1980 she tried her hand at Sports 2000 before entering Swedish/Finnish F3 in 1981.
She proved herself to be a fine driver in Formula Three, between 1981 and 1984, finishing second in the Finnish F3 championships in 1984 and drove in both the Swedish and Finnish series. Her career in tin-tops began in a Lancia and she was the Ladies' Cup winner for three years running in Scandinavia.
She was one of many international faces in the British Touring Car Championship during the early Nineties. Between 1989 and 1991 she drove a powerful BMW M3 for a Swedish team alongside Peggen Anderson. She was a true international driver as she was competing in the Swedish Touring Car Championship at the same time.
Nettan's results were not spectacular; the highlight of her BTCC days was a class win in 1990. In Britain she is most famous for her contretemps with former F1 driver Jonathon Palmer. Palmer made a poor overtaking move and deliberately punted Nettan off the track. The move was unsuccessful and he ended up in the gravel trap nearby. Nettan was not going to take this lying down. She marched over to Palmer's car and told him exactly what she thought of his tactics. The disagreement threatened to get physical, with the Swedish lady aiming a blow at her rival. Marshals intervened and the pair were separated. Palmer was later disciplined for his driving standards.
She retired from active racing in the mid-Nineties but remains involved with the sport through her Swedish touring car team. She is currently sponsoring and mentoring young Swedish driver Caroline Jansson, who happens to be her daughter. Nettan last competed in the UK, for Sweden, in the 2005 Formula Woman Nations Cup, driving a Caterham.
Speed Queens