Speed queens

On the grid with F1's up-and-coming female drivers

- CAREN CLARK, IAN MACEWAN, RICHARD MCCLURE

Motor racing has long been male-dominated, with only a handful of women making it to Formula One level. However, that could be about to change thanks to F1: The Academy, a Drive to Survive-style series that follows the female-only Formula 4 championship.

Launched in 2023 and operating with the support of the F1 teams, the F1 Academy sees drivers in identical cars competing across seven rounds staged during F1 weekends at circuits around the world. The reward for the champion is a fully funded seat in the GB3 Championship, the next rung on the ladder.