It is known that Formula 1 is the apex of motorsport and the most popular championship, with millions of viewers all around the world. The feeling of hearing the engines roar and the anxiety until the red lights are out are indescribable, which makes racing totally exciting. However, with the beginning of another Formula One season and Women’s History Month, it’s important to open up some discussions about the lack of female drivers in the sport.
Women in formula 1 history
Some people may not know, but there have been women who made it into Formula 1. Although it happened many years ago and with a very small group of people, the female drivers who took part in the championship made their mark in history. The pioneer was Italian driver Maria Fernanda de Filippis, who raced for Maserati between 1958 and 1959. Lella Lombardi, Divina Galica and Desiré Wilson are also women who participated in the most prestigious international racing competition. The last female to take part in F1 to this day was Giovanna Amati, who raced for Brabham in early 1992.
However, even though they are no longer competing on the grid, there have been a few tests and exhibition appearances by women in the category. Some of the teams that gave space to female drivers include Sauber, Williams and McLaren.
The lack of encouragement and representation for women in sports is a challenge that has been ongoing for centuries, and F1 is one of thousands of examples of male dominance. Prejudice is one of the main reasons why female athletes don’t have the same opportunities and aren’t valued as highly as men, which causes many to give up on their dreams even before they begin their professional careers.
In addition, it’s important to highlight that sports are more than just an entertainment, but have also become an industry with a strong influence on the income of countries all around the world. As a result, companies are often not interested in sponsoring and supporting women because they don’t reach the same numbers of viewers as sports broadcasts played by men, much because women’s sports usually aren’t as widely broadcasted as men’s.
The W Series is a project that perfectly exemplifies how low investment and no interest from brands can be detrimental. It was the first racing championship created exclusively for women, but it ended after the 2022 season due to a lack of sponsors and funding. Its main goal was to break down the barriers and stereotypes created by society regarding motor racing as a male-only sport. Jamie Chadwick won every season of the W Series (2019, 2021 and 2022), making her an important name in women’s motorsport.
F1 ACADEMY
After the failure of the W Series and in order to develop drivers so that they reach the base level of Formula 1, the F1 Academy was created in 2023, an all-female category. Currently, the championship has six teams on the grid, with three drivers in each. As the category is supported by Formula One, we get to see the liveries of teams such as Ferrari, Mercedes, Red Bull Racing and others, as each team sponsors a driver.
The 2025 calendar is already available and includes seven rounds, ending in November with the Las Vegas race. Don’t forget to check it out! The winner’s prize is a seat in a higher level of motorsports series, which gives them the opportunity to grow as a driver and get closer to racing in Formula One.
These days, debates about the cause are finally being brought to the forefront, but there are still many challenges to overcome. Female athletes still don’t get the attention they deserve due to a lack of investment and opportunities, and the female world of motorsport remains in the shadows. It’s important to support the female presence in the most prestigious international racing competition so that it gains more visibility and respect, proving that the tracks weren’t just made for men.
The article above was edited by Olivia Nogueira.
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