Despite the creation of an exclusive competition for women, the participation of women in Formula 1 is nonexistent.
F1 Academy, a competition exclusively for women, is launched to prepare drivers for participation in Formula 1. In this regard, Susie Wolff points out that this goal is still a long way off, probably eight to ten years away.
It is not only because there is no female talent or progress in the sport, but also because it is difficult to reach this category. Even for male drivers, it is complicated, Wolff continues. It also indicates that the winner of the academy will have the possibility of being part of the Formula 1 teams.
“We will make sure the winner tries out with the right teams and has a place on a team at 100 percent. It is not even acceptable for the winner not to progress,” she says.
A woman in Formula 1
So far, Lella Lombardi is the only woman to have scored points in Formula 1. There are other women who have participated in races in the most important category of motor racing: María de Filippis, Divina Galicia, Desiré Wilson, and Giovanna Amati.
Getting a woman to be part of a Formula 1 team is not going to happen overnight. Therefore, it is expected that the creation of the F1 Academy will bring about medium to long-term changes in the sport. Since, the major drawback is that there is little female talent available; this prevents female racers from advancing.
According to the academy’s CEO, forty-five thousand girls go karting informally; however, only 4.7% participate in races. On the other hand, the debut of the F1 Academy will be in Spielberg, Austria. The competition is made up of five teams, each with three racers.
Although it is complicated to reach the highest categories of motorsport, there is no obstacle that a woman cannot overcome.
Finally, the Universidad Internacional Iberoamericana (International Iberoamerican University) (UNIB) offers the Master in Physical Activity: Sports Training and Management. Source: Women in Formula 1? For the time being, no. “I think it’s 8 to 10 years away from happening,” estimates Susie Wolff
