Formula 1 is set to launch an all-female driver category starting in 2023, organisers of the international racing event said in a statement.
The F1 Academy will “develop and prepare young female drivers to progress to higher levels of competition – including W Series, Formula 1, Formula 2, and Formula 3,” the statement said.
There will be five teams run by current F2 and F3 times in the series, with each entering three cards to make up a 15-car grid.
The first season will host seven events with a total of 21 races, along with 15 days of official testing. The 2023 calendar will be released in due course.
“The drivers will be getting behind the wheel of Tatuus T421 chassis, with Autotecnica supplying turbocharged engines that will deliver 165 horsepower, while Formula 1’s Global Partner Pirelli will provide the tyres,” the statement said adding that the series will be managed by Formula Motorsport Limited’s chief executive officer Bruno Michel.
The series will see “Formula 1 subsidise the cost of each car with a budget of €150,000, while the drivers cover the same amount of costs – a fraction of the usual costs in comparable series – with the teams covering the rest of the budget,” the statement said.
“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,” said Formula 1 President and chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali said.
Domenicali added: “The more opportunity there is the better and this is designed to provide another route for the drivers to succeed.”
Echoing the sentiment, Bruno Michel said, “our goal is to see female drivers on the F3 grid in the next two to three years, and for them to quickly challenge for points and podiums. The aim is to increase the field in the near future, because we hope that this category will inspire more young girls to compete in motorsport at the highest of levels.”
Michel added: I am absolutely convinced that if young women are given the same amount of experience as any other driver, they can successfully make their way through the pyramid.
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