Method One launches all-female feeder collection, F1 Academy

Method One has confirmed particulars of a brand new all-female racing collection, referred to as F1 Academy, which goals to offer a platform for feminine drivers to progress their careers in the direction of racing’s prime championship.

F1 has made clear the brand new collection isn’t being pitched as a rival to the present all-female W Sequence, which hit monetary difficulties this yr and needed to cancel its closing three races. It’s not but clear if W Sequence will proceed in 2023 when F1 Academy might be launched.

The brand new collection, first reported by ESPN in October, will see 5 groups run three automobiles over a seven-round calendar with three races at every spherical. Just one spherical is predicted to run as a part of the assist race bundle for an F1 weekend.

The collection is being pitched as a pathway for younger feminine karters to progress towards W Sequence, Method 3 and Method 2. It is going to use Method 4-style automobiles with 165 break horsepower engines, that are 95 bhp down on the F3-style automobiles utilized in W Sequence.

The groups concerned might be present F2 and F3 groups, with rivals needing to boost €150,000 to drive whereas F1 itself will subsidise every driver’s finances by an extra €150,000.

The collection might be run by Bruno Michel, who additionally manages F3 and F2.

F1’s press launch stated the collection is designed to fill the hole in expertise many feminine drivers have earlier than making the soar to F3.

“Throughout assessments of the limitations younger feminine drivers face with coming into the F1 pyramid, it turned clear that they don’t have the identical quantity of expertise as their male counterparts on the identical age,” the press launch stated. “The purpose is to fill this hole and supply them entry to extra monitor time, racing and testing.”

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali added: “Everybody ought to have the chance to comply with their desires and obtain their potential and Method One needs to make sure we’re doing every thing we will to create better range and routes into this unimaginable sport,” he stated.

“That’s the reason I’m delighted to announce the F1 Academy that can give younger feminine drivers the most effective likelihood to fulfil their ambitions by way of a complete programme that helps their racing careers and provides them every thing they should transfer into F3 and hopefully to F2 after which the top of Method One. The extra alternative there’s the higher and that is designed to offer one other route for the drivers to succeed.”