Amid Recent Lewis Hamilton Remarks, F1 Takes Major Step for Women in Motorsports

Some big news is coming out of F1 regarding the future of the sport. No, it’s not about the ongoing budget cap saga and Red Bull’s punishment for impeding it. This news is in relation to a completely different and ever-lasting issue in the pinnacle of motorsport: lack of diversity and inclusivity.

However, Formula 1 is actively taking steps to change that. According to ESPN, Formula 1 is working on creating an all-women feeder series. Reports also suggest the series will be up and running as early as the upcoming 2023 season. The feeder series will provide a clearer path to Formula 3 and 2, leading up to Formula 1.

The feeder series hopes to have at least 15 seats in its first season. This feeder series will have no affiliation with the W Series set up in 2018 and currently fighting for survival. However, unlike the W series, according to sources, the all-women F1 feeder series will aim to feature drivers in their teens.

Why in their teens? To put it simply, F1 is approaching the feeder series with the ‘teach ’em while they’re young’ mentality. Because as per the source, the women who compete in the W series might be too old to have a realistic shot at making it all the way to the premier class. The feeder series will most likely feature teams that are already competing in F2 and F3.

This is a necessary step taken by FIA and F1, as Lewis Hamilton has pointed out in the past. “There is not really a pathway for those young, amazing drivers to even get to Formula 1,” Hamilton expressed in the past.

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Jamie Chadwick, a three-time champion, might think otherwise about the ‘too old’ outlook toward the W Series drivers. The British W Series world champion might help prove this approach wrong as she actively pursues her F1 dream.

W Series champion Jamie Chadwick aiming for the ultimate F1 dream

The last woman to race in Formula 1 was Lella Lombardi at the 1976 Austrian Grand Prix. Jamie Chadwick desperately wants to change that narrative. However, she is facing multiple challenges.

First, the W Series ran into financial trouble and could not finish the current 2022 season. The series is also fighting for funds and its renewal for 2023.

The second aspect Chadwick is exploring is the physicality of the sport being a limiting factor. “To get into Formula One, you have to go through the feeder series – Formula Three and Formula Two – and it is extremely physical.”

“Formula One is extremely physical, and we don’t know exactly what women are capable of in the sport,” the 24-year-old told Sky Sports.

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Despite the challenges, the Brit wants to explore the ladder to F1, as she has a long way ahead.