Birthdate: May 24, 1970
Birthplace: San Francisco, CA
Residence: Los Angeles, CA
Sex: F
Height: 5'-6"
Weight: 144 lb.
The daughter of Chinese immigrants, Red Cat went from obscurity at small California tracks to international stardom when she landed a seat with the Renault Formula 1 team in 1982. In expanding its program from a two car team to three, the French automaker saw an opportunity for a greater role in the U.S. passenger car market with Red Cat as a marketing tool (they also hoped her association with Rover would rub off). Thus, she became the first female with a full-time F1 ride, and only the third ever.
Before long, she made history by winning her first F1 race, scoring three victories in 1982-83. But the entire Renault team went winless the next two seasons, prompting them into pulling out as a chassis manufacturer at the end of 1985. Like her teammate Derek Warwick, she had an inside track with Lotus for 1986, given its continuing Renault engine program, but Ayrton Senna did not want either driver, having demonstrated their competitiveness in the past, possibly challenging him as team leader. She still remains angry over Renault's withdrawal.
Unable to find another competitive ride in F1 or elsewhere, Red Cat found herself forced into retirement as a reluctant homemaker, and her rage appropriately festers inside as she sits at home and sulks. She yells at her kids frequently and often without just cause, but Tac and Wieasner both take her attitude with a grain of salt, knowing that "she's just pissed 'cuz we're having fun."