Breaking news

Formula 1

Ferrari wants to add female drivers to F1 junior programme

Ferrari wants to add female drivers to its Formula 1 junior programme and is working to make sure it happens "very soon".

Scott Mitchell

Published: Dec 24, 2019, 11:53 AM

Copy link

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Jamie Chadwick at the drivers autograph session

Only six women have ever participated in an official Formula 1 world championship weekend and Lella Lombardi remains the most successful with a best result of sixth in the shortened 1975 Spanish Grand Prix, which earned her half a point.

The most recent female participant was Susie Wolff, who took part in four practice sessions across the 2014 and 2015 seasons, while Giovanna Amati was the last to attempt to take part in a grand prix, failing to qualify for three races in 1992 for Brabham.

W Series champion Jamie Chadwick and Formula 2 backmarker Tatiana Calderon have affiliations with the Williams and Alfa Romeo F1 teams respectively, with Calderon testing an old Sauber privately.

Ferrari is preparing to increase the number of Ferrari Driver Academy participants in 2020 as it attempts to "invest in the future", according to team boss Mattia Binotto.

"A few other drivers will join," he said. "It's something on which we are working very hard. So, we are pleased to know that.

"The Driver Academy is an important investment for us. [Ferrari F1 driver] Charles is the best example. We need to look at the future generation of talent for Ferrari.

"The Academy also looks for women in the future. Women should be part of the Ferrari Driver Academy. That's something on which we are working right now to make sure that it may happen very soon."

Since the F1 world championship started in 1950, there have been 772 different drivers who have started a grand prix.

Only two, Lombardi and Maria Teresa de Filippis, are women – although non-qualifier Desiree Wilson had success elsewhere, winning a round of the 1980 British F1 series at Brands Hatch in a Wolf WR4.

Six-time world champion Lewis Hamilton said in an end-of-season video released by Mercedes last week that a successful female driver would be part of his wish to see F1 more diverse.

"I want the sport to be more accessible," said Hamilton, who became the first black F1 driver when he made his debut in 2007.

"I was at the FIA gala and I came across an Asian family, and I was like, 'Hey, I thought I was gonna be the only brown person here!' Because that's how it normally is.

"I'm in a world where that's been common for my entire life. So to see people of colour in the audience, whether it's black, Asian, whatever it may be, it's just great to see diversity slowly creeping in.

"It is a world that's open to everyone. And I hope at some stage there's a young powerful woman that comes through and blows the field away. Wouldn't that be something special?"

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Viber

Previous article Top Stories of 2019, #8: Honda's hybrid finally comes good

Next article Feel the thrill of the Grand Prix in Bahrain

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

Latest news

Yamaha may not be competitive immediately in MotoGP's 850cc era, says Pramac

MotoGP

MGP MotoGP

Qatar GP

13 min

Yamaha may not be competitive immediately in MotoGP's 850cc era, says Pramac

With rallying back in the spotlight, it could probably teach F1 a thing or two

Formula 1

With rallying back in the spotlight, it could probably teach F1 a thing or two

You Ask The Questions: Jack Miller

MotoGP

Qatar GP

You Ask The Questions: Jack Miller

Why the anticlimactic WEC title showdown was the worst-case scenario

WEC

WEC WEC

Monza

4 h

Why the anticlimactic WEC title showdown was the worst-case scenario

Feature

Discover prime content

With rallying back in the spotlight, it could probably teach F1 a thing or two

Formula 1

By Maurice Hamilton

With rallying back in the spotlight, it could probably teach F1 a thing or two

How seizing every chance – and making it happen – keeps Pierre Gasly’s fire burning

Formula 1

By Jake Boxall-Legge

How seizing every chance – and making it happen – keeps Pierre Gasly’s fire burning

Tough love and F1 titles – A key life lesson behind Wolff's Mercedes success

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Ronald Vording

Tough love and F1 titles – A key life lesson behind Wolff's Mercedes success

How Brazil showcased everything that's good about F1 - plus some that isn't

Formula 1

Sao Paulo GP

By Filip Cleeren

How Brazil showcased everything that's good about F1 - plus some that isn't

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Become a subscriber.
Disable your adblocker.

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts