Formula 1 has seen just five female drivers in its 74 years of recorded history. There are now more women involved in motorsport, with series such as F1 Academy – which features solely women drivers – to encourage more women and girls into motorsport and support them to progress in their career.
What is F1 Academy?
Formula 1 has founded the F1 Academy, which is a female-only single-seater racing championship. The series had its inaugural season in 2023, with its aim to develop and help women progress into higher levels of the competition, such as F2 and F1.
There are 15 cars on the grid which have been provided by current F2 and F3 teams. A number of drivers are also supported by the current Formula 1 teams, with each F1 team having backed a driver.
The 2024 season will feature seven race weekends which will consist of three races each, making it a 21-race championship.
Formula One Management financially backs the series, subsidising each entry with a budget of €150,000 per season, although drivers taking part will be required to match the amount. Management has claimed that this “represents a fraction of the usual costs in a comparable series.”
Female F1 drivers
Maria Teresa de Filippis – 1958 – 1959
Maria Teresa de Filippis, Maserati
Photo by: Red Bulletin – Getty Images
- F1 entries: 5
- F1 starts: 3
- Best result: 10th (1958 Belgian Grand Prix)
- Teams: Behra-Porsche & Maserati (Non-works)
Maria Teresa De Fillippis was the first woman to compete in a Formula 1 race, when she competed in the 1958 Belgian Grand Prix. The Italian participated in five F1 grands prix weekends but only managed to secure three starts.
De Filippis developed her love of motorsport in the late 1940s, following the end of World War II, with her parents being sceptical she could succeed and her brothers placing bets that she wouldn’t be fast. At 22-years-old she began her driving career and won her first race during a 10km drive between Salerno and Cava de’ Tirreni.
In 1954, she entered the Italian sports car championship, finishing second overall. As a result of her success Maserati hired her as a works driver and the following year she took part in several events including endurance racing.
De Filippis’ first chance to drive an F1 car came in 1958, where she entered the Monaco Grand Prix. There were 31 entrants in the race and only half managed to qualify for the race, with the Italian missing out…
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