Formula 1 Launches F1 Academy, New All-Female Driver Series for 2023
To educate and equip talented female drivers for advancement at higher competitive levels, such as Formula 1, Formula 2, and Formula 3, the W Series will introduce an all-female driver category, the F1 Academy, starting in 2023.
Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali said, “Everyone should have the opportunity to follow their dreams and achieve their potential.” “We want to ensure we follow all the necessary procedures to create greater diversity and routes into this incredible sport.”
Formula 1 President and CEO Stefano Domenicali
Five current F2 and F3 teams will compete in the series, fielding three cars on the 15-car grid. The 2023 calendar is expected to be revealed in due course. The initial season will consist of seven events with three races apiece, for 21 races, plus 15 days of official testing.
The drivers will use the Tatuus T421 chassis, and Autotecnica will supply the turbocharged engines, producing 165 horsepower. Pirelli, a Global Partner of Formula 1, will provide the tyres.
Formula 1 will allocate a budget of €150,000 to subsidies each car’s cost, and the drivers pay the same amount (a small portion of the typical expenses in comparable series).
The teams spend the remaining budget, under the direction of Bruno Michel, CEO of Formula Motorsport Limited.
The series seeks to provide young talent already engaged in go-karting or other junior competitions with the essential expertise required before entering Formula 3 and climbing the Formula 1 pyramid. It also strives to maximize the chances and potential of young female drivers to participate at the top levels of racing.
The F1 pyramid presents challenges for young female drivers, as it was determined that they lacked the same level of experience as their male counterparts at the same age.
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To close this gap and provide female drivers with more testing, racing, and track experience, the F1 Academy was created.
The racers’ technical, physical, and mental training skills will grow due to working with professional teams renowned in motorsport for grooming young drivers. These skills are crucial for elite competition.
The goal of Formula 1 is to provide ambitious female drivers with the best possibilities to realize their potential, with entering Formula 3 and rising through the ranks as a crucial initial step.
The F1 Academy is meant to add another path for the next generation of young female drivers, who will compete in an environment allowing them to develop real experience thanks to a significant amount of track time.
The W Series will continue to offer a fantastic platform for drivers and provide an excellent venue.
Bruno Michel, manager of the F1 Academy, expressed his excitement over introducing this new category. He also added that in the next two to three years, once they are on the F3 grid, we want female drivers to compete for podiums and points.
By enlarging the field shortly, this category will inspire more young women to participate in motorsport at the highest levels.
