Formula E aiming to have female drivers within two to three years
Formula E has featured three female competitors — one more than in 76 years of the Formula One championship.
London – Formula E aims to field female drivers in championship racing within the next two to three years, according to the series' CEO Jeff Dodds. Speaking to reporters prior to a weekend marking 50 years since a woman last raced in Formula One, Dodds announced plans to broaden the series' women's program. "Our hypothesis is that men and women can compete equally in motorsport, but the conditions definitely are not equal," he explained.
Since the sport's inception in 2014, Formula E has seen only three female competitors, one more than the 76-year history of Formula One. The series has also hosted a women's test for the past two years to allow female drivers to experience the cars in race conditions. Dodds stated that the organization will soon unveil a significant expansion to this program, aiming to create more opportunities for women to race alongside elite male drivers.
"Within two to three years, we envision women competing at the championship level alongside the top male drivers," he added. This transformation will require the support and commitment of the teams, many of which already have female drivers in their development programs. Dodds expressed optimism that teams are receptive to this next step, which he deemed a substantial investment.
The weekend's races signal the end of an era for Formula E as the series transitions to a new, faster and lighter Gen 4 car, marking a significant step forward on and off the track.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
