Last Friday was International Women’s Day and in light of this there were many driver development-related announcements aimed at encouraging female participation in motorsport. Here are some of the global female driver development-related announcements aimed at encouraging female participation in motorsport that were published over the last week or so as well as additional analysis on the status of getting more females involved in motorsport as well as what still needs to be done.
I also look at JDX Racing’s approach to driver development, using adaptive technologies to allow more people with disabilities to get involved in motorsport and how HPDE are becoming a great gateway to motorsports.
All this and more in this week’s edition of the Driver Development Roundup on Motorsport Prospects. It’s news that aspiring racers can use.
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Despite being one of the few mixed gender sports in the world, no woman has raced competitively in Formula 1 – the highest level of motorsport – since the 1970s. With female fans becoming more and more engaged with one of the fastest growing sports in the world, and with women’s sport sitting higher in the cultural agenda than ever before, it’s time to look at the facts and start asking why.
More than Equal’s Head of Research Dr. Fran Longstaff and More than Equal Driver Coach, Sarah Moore discuss the latest insights and trends when it comes to the gender performance and participation gap in motorsport in the video above. Both touch on:
- What research and data tell us on how female drivers are perceived by fans, media and sponsors
- How this matches up with Sarah’s practical experience as a female professional racing driver for 26 years
- The learnings other male-dominated industries can take from the research undertaken so far.
You can also download and read their research report here.
Ali Donnelly, the CEO of More Than Equal sets out the five things that she has learned since taking the position one year ago.
“While I’ve observed some well-intended ideas, especially from ASNs (the national bodies recognised by the FIA as the sole holder of sporting power in a country— the equivalent to a national governing body in the parlance of others sports) to welcome more women and girls into the sport, there is often limited understanding about how to specifically target that demographic and make them feel truly welcome when they get there.”
Stephen Lickorish of Autosport looks at the important progress being made to increase female motorsport involvement in the UK.
“Not so long ago, having a female driver on a grid was considered something of a novelty. Now, with increasing numbers of women taking up the sport, it’s becoming a little more commonplace. Whether as the result of all-female categories like W Series or F1 Academy, or a variety of grassroots initiatives, the idea of attracting more women into motorsport is in the spotlight now more than ever. And governing body Motorsport UK is determined to play a leading role in this.”
Formula E FIA Girls on Track recorded a 140% increase in participants for Season 9’s program, presented by Hankook, and a 25% increase for the first two events of Season 10, reaffirming its commitment to education and gender inclusivity in motorsport.
Julia Pallé, VP Sustainability, Formula E, said: “The growth of this leading programme has been incredible to see as young girls start to embrace and pursue opportunities around STEM education and motorsport. Formula E is a pioneer in this space and acts as a genuine platform to upskill and educate girls, but most importantly giving them confidence to pursue their dreams and achieve great things within the motorsport sector.”
Motorsport Australia has welcomed technology company, HP Inc, as a platinum partner of FIA Girls on Track Australia in 2024. The 2024 partnership between Motorsport Australia and HP will see the FIA Girls on Track program provided with state-of-the-art laptops at its Inspire workshops, where participants will be able to utilize them to complete activities.
“FIA Girls on Track is an integral part of our motorsport development strategy as the program often gives girls across the country their first experiences with the sport. The program’s goal is to inspire the next generation of talent and increase participation in all areas, and having HP Inc involved will certainly go a long way in helping us achieve that. We are very grateful to the team at HP Inc for their support of this very special program.”
Get more information on the FIA Girls on Track Australia program.
Shift Up Now has announced that privé products has come on board as a new Corporate Member of The Inside Track by Shift Up Now for 2024. The Michigan-based company will also be a presenting sponsor of an upcoming Fan Forum.
privé is a salon-quality hair care company owned by female business woman and racer, Shay Hoelscher. In addition to supporting Shift Up Now Athlete Sabré Cook in Porsche Carrera Cup, Hoelscher is a tremendous advocate for women in motorsport, and women supporting women.
“As a female racing driver, my passion to support other female racers is paramount,” said Hoelscher. “Having navigated challenges and triumphs in the male-dominated arena, I am fierce about championing and supporting other female racers. I strive to pave the way for future gender barriers to be dismantled, hence giving equality opportunities to all female racers to pursue their dreams. This is why I’m so passionate about partnering with Sabre Cook, along with my sponsorship with Shift Up Now, to help raise the tide for all.”
Sam Hall of Autosport explains how Jamie Chadwick is aiming to make a difference in 2024 while Dan Lawrence of Motorsport Week describes how Chadwick credits the impact of the now defunct W Series on her career.
Chadwick recently launched The Jamie Chadwick Series in partnership with karting chain Daytona Motorsport. As part of the initiative, girls aged eight and over could enjoy a day of free karting at venues nationwide on International Women’s Day (Friday) before the championship officially begins. Chadwick will act as a mentor throughout the year, with the winner receiving financial support to climb to the next level of their career.
“I like to think that there are a lot of female drivers who have the possibility to go to places like Daytona and experience karting for the first time, but don’t know what possibilities there are, that could potentially have the talent and now have the opportunity to feed through to the next step.”
Global Sustainable Sport talks to race driver Alice Powell about her journey as a race driver, her work with the Envision Racing team in Formula E, women in motorsport and sustainability.
“A lot of young girls think it’s just the driving side, and racing’s not for everyone,” she says. “It’s about giving [girls] an understanding that there are a lot of other opportunities out there – whether that’s in PR, or marketing, or mechanics, or engineering. There’s a whole great big team that works on these two Formula E cars. We need to showcase the options, the avenues – not just on International Women’s Day but throughout the whole year,” says Powell.
In the male-dominated realms of motorsports and engineering, two young women at the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Engineering are defying gender norms and accelerating towards success. Meet Nora Jordan and Marie-Soleil Labelle, two uOttawa engineering students who are making their mark as young women in competitive motorsports and inspiring the next generation of female engineers to follow their passion for speed and innovation.
Nora Rhiannon Jordan: “Women in motorsports, as a community, is quite small but very tight knit. Because we’re so few, we truly all want each other to succeed.”
Marie-Soleil Labelle: “There is something for everyone in motorsports: it is not only for mechanical engineers.”
WIMCanada and Surfin’ Berms have put together a networking event where you can learn more about how to move fast – in cars, on bikes, and in your career! Get the knowledge and connections you need from some seriously cool Canadian women in motorsport. This event will be hosted in Calgary, Alberta on March 16th, 2024 – RSVP is required, so be sure to check out all the details and get your tickets! All proceeds will go towards advancing the participation of women in both four and two-wheeled motorsport.
What to expect? All ladies and girls entering this event will be entered for prizes, and refreshments will be available. Come and go anytime from 10am to 2pm. There will be a chance to learn about women in the motorsports industry, high-level women of their sports, a panel discussion for Q and A and more! The event is located inside, the main level is wheelchair friendly. Anyone is welcome to come to this event, but you must RSVP in advance (this will help us with numbers as well as sending the location). Spouses, friends, family are all welcomed to support; this is an all ages everyone welcome event. We are very excited to spend an afternoon with all of you and share our stoke for women in motorsports!
The Queen’s Women in Automotive & Motorsport Conference will be taking place on March 23, 2024 at The University Club. The conference will take place on March 23, 2024, at the University Club on Queen’s Campus. With the purchase of a ticket, delegates will receive entry to the one-day conference, breakfast pastries, coffee, and a buffet style lunch. Check out our instagram @Queensuni_wai for speaker, workshop, and sponsor reveals!
Four years running, Parella Motorsports Holdings (PMH) has awarded diversity scholarships offering assistance to select racers competing in the Trans Am Series presented by Pirelli, the Formula Regional Americas Championship (FR Americas), and other competition outlets.
The PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship enables drivers from a variety of backgrounds to participate in PMH-owned events. Specifically, nine of PMH’s 14 scholarships awarded for 2024 will boost the efforts of drivers at SCCA Pro Racing®-sanctioned events.
“We’re thrilled to expand our PMH Powering Diversity Scholarship to assist 14 racers this season, our largest class ever,” said Tony Parella, CEO of PMH. “We have watched several of our past graduates go on to accomplish bigger and better things, among them Chloe Chambers, who was just nominated to the F1 Academy by the Haas F1 Team. I can’t wait to see what this year’s class of drivers goes on to accomplish in their careers.”
Porsche Carrera Cup North America squad JDX Racing will enter an expanded four-car line-up in 2024 with a quartet of young stars all contesting the Pro category for the Denver, Colorado-based team.
“Every year we strive to assemble a strong group of drivers, and this year we have hit it out of the park. Each one of our drivers can stand on the podium, that much I am certain of – and I already know the chemistry under the tent is going to be incredible.
PRI Magazine looks at the fact that since most major sanctioning bodies and many automakers are now offering dedicated programs, high-performance driving events are becoming preeminent motorsports gateways.
“This has ushered in the era of high-performance driving events, or HPDEs. These programs follow an ethos similar to grassroots autocross events and focus on minimizing the barriers to entry through low costs and basic car preparation requirements. And much like autocross events, participation in HPDE programs also provides an opportunity for these drivers to get connected to a motorsports-minded community of enthusiasts.”
Veteran motor racer Peter Cate has compiled his learnings from more than thirty racing seasons into a recently published book, ‘Racing Hell – The Hidden Truths of Motorsport’. I asked Peter to provide an overview of his book and his intentions behind writing it.
PRI Magazine also looks at how adaptive race car equipment allows drivers with disabilities to overcome challenges and compete on track while winning championships and setting records in the process.
“Adaptive race cars have opened the doors for paraplegic and quadriplegic drivers, those born without limbs, amputees, and others to pilot cars in competition. Even blindness isn’t necessarily a barrier in select racing venues. Disabilities don’t extinguish the competitive spirit in drivers, nor the competitive spirit in the motorsports aftermarket, where finding solutions to difficult problems is just another day at the office.”
KartCom has provided a great overview of the French motorsport industry.
The next step is the French F4 Championship, run on the same basis of fairness and controlled budget by the FFSA Academy. The French industry continues through the Equipe de France Circuit, which coaches and supports its drivers in the various single-seater formulas (FRECA, F3, F2) right up to the gates of F1. The Federation has therefore put in place a continuity solution, from initial training at the age of six through to the highest echelon of F2. A system of subsidies has been put in place from the age of Mini 60 to help youngsters progress through the pyramid, with an overall policy of controlling expenditure and financial incentives for the best at every stage.
Author: Mark Boudreau
Mark is the publisher of Motorsport Prospects. As a former lawyer, he applies his legal background and research skills to assist race drivers by showcasing the resources they need to make their motorsport careers happen.
