A new all-female competition has been officially confirmed by Formula 1 for the next season, with the goal of helping young female drivers prepare and improve as they aim to reach higher levels of competition.
The series will be known as the ‘F1 Academy’ and will include five teams run by current Formula 2 and Formula 3 teams: each of them will enter three cars to form a 15-car competition which will debut next year. Severan rounds have been scheduled, each consisting of three races: this means that there will be 21 races and also two weeks of official testing.
Formula 1 has confirmed that the new series will not be a permanent part of the F1 support race package, but it is expected to include one Grand Prix weekend in 2023.
The official news comes after the confirmation of the W Series 2022 season, a competition that could not go ahead as planned until the end of the championship, due to financial reasons. which had to end early after the round in Singapore due to lack of funding.
Former Ferrari boss and current Formula 1 chief executive officer Stefano Domenicali explained:
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“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. That is why I am delighted to announce the F1 Academy that will give young female drivers the best chance to fulfil their ambitions through a comprehensive programme that supports their racing careers and gives them everything they need to move into F3 and hopefully to F2 and then the pinnacle of Formula 1. The more opportunity there is the better and this is designed to provide another route for the drivers to succeed.”
In order to find solutions for the financial problems, Formula 1 has confirmed it will subsidise each car with a budget of €150,000 and will need drivers to cover the same amount. The car used for the series will be a Tatuus T421 chassis which will be equipped with a 165bhp engine supplied by Autotecnica.
Formula 1 official tyre supplier Pirelli will also bring tyres for the new series, while the series will be managed by CEO of Formula Motorsport Limited – which owns Formula 3 and Formula 2 – Bruno Michel.
Michel, General Manager of the F1 Academy, said:
“I am very excited to launch this new category. Diversity is extremely important in motorsport, and with the F1 Academy we will prove that female drivers have what it takes to compete at high levels. 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. 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.” – he concluded.
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