Fast sport slow to change as F1 marks 50 years since last female racer

In the world of Formula One racing, marked its 50th anniversary this weekend, yet women have yet to step onto the grand prix starting grid. Alexia Danielsson, a 17-year-old Swedish racer, is one of many aspiring to make history. She first drove a modified Formula One car at just 14 and now competes in the Central European F4 series, where she sees a future on the podium.

Danielsson is one of a select group of elite female racers supported by More Than Equal, a non-profit program founded in 2022 to develop and support the first female Formula One world champion. Despite the sport's growing popularity, only men have succeeded in this 50-year endeavor. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali predicts it will take more than five years before a woman races in the championship.

More Than Equal, backed by F1, operates a driver development program that identifies, nurtures, and supports female talent, much like a race team without the shiny cars. The organization has also partnered with F1 Academy, a women-only F1 series, to raise the profile of female drivers. As More Than Equal continues its mission, the hope is that the first female driver to sit on the grid will be a significant milestone, legitimizing the possibility of a mixed Formula One sport.