Maria de Filippis, first woman F1 racer, dies at 89

Rome: Maria Teresa de Filippis, the first woman to race in Formula One, has died at the age of 89.

Formula One made the announcement on its website Saturday without providing a cause of death.

De Filippis made three starts for the Maserati team in 1958, finishing 10th at Spa Francorchamps in Belgium for her best result.

Lella Lombardi, another Italian, is the only other woman to have started an F1 race.

Lombardi, who died in 1992, started 12 races from 1974-76.

De Filippis, who was born in Naples, began racing after her brothers bet that she wouldn't be fast enough.

She later became the honorary president of F1's retired drivers club. Funeral services were planned for the northern town of Scanzorosciate, where she lived in recent years.