Jamey Price

The world of motorsport moves fast, but right now the girls are moving faster. 

From insider info in the Hunaroring in the past weeks to big events on the horizon for a certain all-female series, it appears women get to finally play a bigger role in the world of motorsport and the world is most definitely watching.  

Here’s some recent updates on the girl power in the sport and some of the adversity’s these pioneering women have had to face. From insiders info in the Hunaroring in the past weeks to big events on the horizon for a certain all-female series, it appears not only susses dream of active change is in motion but also women really can do it all. 

 I think if all motorsport fans can agree on 1 thing, it’s that there is a serious lack of women in the sport. I think the biggest shocker for me is the fact that the number of female drivers. Can you guess the number? We’ll big reveal. It’s a WHOPPING… two. Bella Lombardi and Maria Teresa de Filippis are the only two women who have raced in an f1 gp. Now I don’t know about you but I’m not sure if I’d call that progress. 

What  would call progress? Probably Jessica Hawkins drive at the Hungaroring with an Aston Martin F1 car. The first woman to drive one in four years. Also on a recent segment on sky sports, World championship winning driver Nico Rosberg revealed a secret that would make some male f1 fans quake in their cars. Nico said that Jessicas under-wraps lap time was  “rapid” compared to Aston Martins  own reserve driver Felipe Drugovich. I guess she really is the best of the best.I do hope this news also doesn’t crush the heart of any insecure men in the paddock, my heart truly breaks for them. However this does raise the question, why isn’t she the reserve driver? I bet I could hazard a guess given driver on the current grid, Sergio ‘checo’ Perez’s       

comments on 2014 Susie Wolff Williams driver position as he stated :“imagine being beaten by a woman. That would be it. It’s better she goes to the kitchen”. Perez is currently in jeopardy to loose his 2023 rb due to his poor performance in the 2023 season. I guess in his books, being beaten by 19 other men is better than one woman. But as one F1 fan also reminded me, “I would love to say that I wouldn’t expect any backlash, however we have seen male drivers getting hate, and women would recieve much worse”. 

Sexist comments aren’t anything new but if anything they’ve just spurred women on more.  Susie Wolff who is a pioneer for women in the industry. After she missed out on driving a gp race with Williams racing, she set up  ‘ the F1 Academy.It was set up for women  to be set on the track into Formula 3 and then make their way up the ladder into F1. The girls in F1 academy have proven themselves so well that their race in Austin had a live audience and was live across the world, I personally turned on the tv to see the 2023 F1A winner, Marta Garcia.The race featured many racers but some of Xaverians own female F1 fans personal favorite was Maclarens driver program Bianca Bustamente as they are “excited to see her grow next year int the F1A and hopefully future ranks”. 

 Wolff recognises the influx of female fans is key in proving this change can be made as she stated :“It’s a young female demographic, which is really showing interest in the sport, and that’s something we need to capitalise on.”  

And how could we not agree with this incredible hero to girls all across the globe! I truly do believe no matter how many times Christian Horner tries to push the sexist idea that f1 is :“bringing in a lot of young girls because of all these great-looking young drivers.” Women  are above the comments and sneers. No matter how much they try to stop it, female drivers and, female fans like us are rolling motorsport into a new generation that celebrates us instead of mocking the “fangirlification” .
 

But even after all these amazing contributions and achievements of these extraordinary women, at this current moment, in the 2023 season, 73 years since the first F1 race, not a single woman sits in the cockpit of a car, competing for the championship against 19 other drivers. 

When will women be fully recognised as pilots in the sport? As capable and strong? As devoted as the men? Or even recognised for their commitment to the sport and it’s trials and tribulations that cause many men to tumble and drop at their very best. 

I think the clearest points this whole article makes is that women have truly shown their dedication, with little to no help from men in the industry, these women have really tested themselves and walked away proud, proving these girls can!  

This was your reminder that the cars on the track may be moving fast, but the girls are moving much faster.  

An F1 progress report for girls, by girls.