Julia Vaizer, first female chief medical officer in Indycar in 2023

This will be a novelty next season in Indycar. Dr. Julia Vaizer will succeed Dr. Geoffrey Billows as director of medical services for Indycar, becoming the first female chief medical officer in the history of the competition. The announcement was made on the sidelines of the race in Toronto on Sunday.

Julia Vaizer has already served as Deputy Medical Director since 2021. She also served as Acting Medical Director when Billows was away undergoing treatment for her salivary parotid cancer.

“There aren’t enough words to express our full sense of gratitude and respect for Dr. Billows and his service to our racing community. »

Dr. Billows is retiring and Dr. Julia Vaizer will become the first female medical chief in the history of #INDYCAR and @IMS.

— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) July 17, 2022

Billows plans to continue contributing to Indycar’s medical services on a part-time basis beginning in 2023. « It’s no secret that the last 20 months have been quite difficult for me »Billows said. “After much thought and discussion with my wife, I have decided to retire at the end of this season. It’s something I plan to fight for and live for for many years to come, and I figured I had to take advantage of what time I had left. But I’m staying so I can help part-time because I love it so much. »

“Dr. Billows has been a friend, a mentor, a teacher and like a father to me”said Julia Vaizer. “It is a great honor to have been chosen to carry on his legacy. I will work very hard to continue to do what he has established as one of the most successful medical teams in the world of motorsport. I look forward to this next chapter and to seeing how we can continue to improve the field of motorsport medicine for the next generation to come. »

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