Writer: Sofi Dawalibi
Editor: Mare Lara
Over 74 years of recorded history, only five women have been drivers in Formula One. It cannot be another decade before another one takes the wheel, can it? After Charles Leclerc’s remarkable home win for Ferrari at the Italian Grand Prix on the first of this month, – at the Temple of Speed nonetheless – there was a lack of conversation surrounding the Formula 1 Academy races that were going on around the same time, with these races promising to be just as exciting.
From the beginning women have been rejected from Formula 1, thus they have decided to maneuver their way into racing. The creation of F1 Academy in 2023, as the female-only and junior-level, was their way to launch a championship where girls compete driving the same Tatuus F4-T-421 that Pirelli had developed in various courses – the same manufacturer of F1’s cars. – However, this is not the first time women have been attempting to be included in this particular sport. Those attempts date back to the early 1900s until 2004 when Formula Women was invented in the United Kingdom, unfortunately, it came to an early end when the W Series suffered financial issues due to the 2020 Pandemic.
When Formula One announced women’s racing would be making a comeback in 2022, – with the rebrand being F1 Academy – the initial reaction to it wasn’t exactly positive, as they hadn’t broadcasted the first racers’ series. As it went on, seemingly Formula One had no hope in the drivers to create revenue. The five teams that participate in F1 Academy (ART Grand Prix, Campos Racing, Rodin Motorsport, MP Motorsport, and Prema Racing) were told by F1 they’d only be supporting one driver to carry the team’s livery, meanwhile, the remaining drivers would have to be supported by partners. Not only that, but the budgeting of the car would have to rely almost entirely on the drivers. The same had never been applied to Formula One's regular racing.
“It’s not a man’s world anymore” Susie Wolff has stated for CBS. The former race car and development driver for Williams has pioneered women’s gateway into racing, leading the all-female Formula One Academy. In the same interview, she stated that 40% of the F1 enthusiasts and watchers are female, having one of the highest rising demographics in sports. Making role models for those women watching is essential and the willingness from the sport is the most requisite way to embrace new horizons within the competitions. Who will be taking a chance on women if the main institution of racers is unwilling to do it first? F1 Academy is setting the example, but its lack of marketing and broadcasting is what fails to make it more popular.
Regardless of its distribution, the F1 Academy’s races have been spectacular this year. The past race in Zandvoort, the Netherlands circuit, had a phenomenal win by Abbi Pulling – competing for Rodin Motorsport, member of the Alpine Academy – who has been up on the podium for the past couple of races, as well as an exhilarating debut from Nina Gademan. Doriane Pinn came in winning the second race, the Mercedes Junior Team’s racer has had some impressive accolades with her 2022 title in the Ferrari Challenge in Europe.
Round 5 is taking place in Singapore, at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, with a length of roughly 5,000 kilometers, from the 20th to the 22nd of September. Though its track has been heavily criticized by F1 drivers, it is often a place for an astonishing race. Spectators across all regions can watch the races on YouTube and X channels as well as F1 TV.
“Everyone should have the opportunity to follow their dreams and achieve their potential, and Formula 1 wants to ensure we are doing everything we can to create greater diversity and routes into this incredible sport,” Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said, regarding F1 Academy. Not only him but others such as Lewis Hamilton and Naomi Schiff – the earlier a driver for Mercedes in F1 and the latter a former driver who left racing for television – have been pressing for women to own up their space in this sport. But for them to do that, not only do they need F1’s reinforcement but also have our underlying support.
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