Formula E aiming for female drivers in two to three years

Formula E, the all-electric racing series, aims to have female drivers competing at championship level within the next two to three years, according to the series' chief executive, Jeff Dodds. Dodds made this statement to reporters on Friday, ahead of a weekend marking 50 years since a woman last raced in Formula One. The series, which recently celebrated the 50th anniversary of a woman's participation in Formula One, currently has only three female competitors since its inception in 2014.

This compares to the 76-year history of Formula One, where women have made only a single appearance.

Formula E has been actively promoting women's participation in motorsport. Over the past two years, the series has held women's testing sessions, allowing female drivers to experience the race cars under the same conditions as professional drivers. Dodds announced that the series will soon expand its women's program significantly to create more opportunities for female drivers and bridge the gap in the sport.

He emphasized that achieving this goal would require the teams to invest more in female drivers, which most are already doing and are now prepared to take the next step. Dodds expressed his delight at the teams' positive response to his proposal.

The upcoming weekend's races mark the end of an era for Formula E, as the series prepares to introduce a new, quicker and lighter Gen 4 car. Dodds described this change as a step-change in performance and a significant moment for growth for the series. He believes this period represents an inflection point for Formula E, both on and off the track. The series will announce the expanded women's program shortly, which will be a substantial investment.