In 2023, Formula One officially announced the formation of a new all-female racing series. The F1 Academy will be run and financially supported by Formula One Management, the sport’s owners, to help more young women advance in motor racing and ultimately into F1.
The new championship will consist of five teams, each with three drivers, fielded by existing competitors from the F1 feeder series F3 and F2. The season will consist of seven events, with three races at each. The calendar has not yet been confirmed, but one F1 weekend is anticipated.
Stefano Domenicali, F1’s CEO, stated, “Everyone should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams and reach their full potential, and Formula One wants to do everything possible to create greater diversity and entry points into this incredible sport.”
Since Lella Lombardi’s 1976 race in Austria, no female driver has competed in a Formula One grand Prix. In the past, the lack of financial support for young women entering motorsport has been a significant barrier, and F1 is attempting to overcome this. Each car will be subsidized with a budget of €150,000 (£130,000), and the drivers will be required to match that amount. The yet-to-be-determined teams will cover any remaining expenses.
The series will utilize a Tatuus T421 chassis with a turbocharged engine producing 165 horsepower, a combination comparable to those used in European F4 championships.
F1 aims to provide more young women with track time and racing opportunities to help them develop their skills with professional teams that are accustomed to nurturing talent as part of the racing ladder leading to F1. The hope is that this will make the path into F3 more accessible.
The F1 Academy’s general manager, Bruno Michel, stated that the goal is to have female drivers on the F3 grid within the next two to three years, and for them to quickly challenge for points and podiums. We hope that this category will encourage more young women to compete at the highest levels of motorsport.
The future of the current all-female W Series is uncertain. Due to a financial shortfall, the series canceled the final three races of this season and has yet to announce its plans for next year. This year, the W Series has served as a support race at F1 events, and F1 believes the new series can run alongside it.
“The W Series continues to provide a terrific platform for drivers, and the F1 Academy is meant to give an additional pathway for the next generation of young female drivers,” read their statement.
The W Series has yet to remark on its future in light of the F1 academy’s announcement.
