F1 Academy racers aim to end 50-year wait for female Formula 1 driver
British teenager Rachel Robertson and her fellow F1 Academy drivers are battling historical barriers in their quest to become the first women to qualify for Formula 1 in half a century.
The 18-year-old is among an elite group of rising stars competing in the female-only racing championship founded by the Formula 1 Group.
Motorsport has been heavily dominated by men and money since its inception, making the pathway to the pinnacle notoriously difficult for female competitors.
Overcoming early prejudice on the track
Robertson began her journey in go-karts at the age of 14, where she was typically the only girl on the circuit.
The young Briton frequently raced against boys who viewed her presence as an annoyance rather than a genuine competitive threat.
“A lot of the time in their head, they think ‘Oh, it’s just a girl in front of me, I’ll just put her off track’.”
However, the lightning-fast driver noted that those same rivals often remained silent when she crossed the finish line ahead of them.
“They don’t want to acknowledge that you’re actually better.”
“If you lose to a few of them, then they’ll be like, ‘That was good’. But if you win? They will not say anything.”
Swapping dance recitals for race circuits
That familiar frustration is shared by 20-year-old Dutch competitor Esmee Kosterman.
She remembers facing similar hostility from male peers who insisted that motorsport was not a suitable environment for girls.
Kosterman discovered her true calling at the age of six, choosing to abandon dance classes to join her father and brother at the local racing track.
“I told my parents, ‘I don’t want to dance, I want to go as well, on the circuit – driving!’ And there it all started.”
Ferrari backing accelerates development
Both drivers are currently navigating their debut season in the F1 Academy, absorbing vital experience from more seasoned competitors.
One such veteran of the series is 17-year-old Alba Larsen, who is now embarking on her second year in the championship.
The Danish prospect has secured a highly coveted seat sponsored by Italian powerhouse Ferrari.
Larsen only discovered the sport by chance during the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown when close-contact rules halted her usual handball activities.
Stepping into a kart for the first time ignited a fierce passion that has rapidly propelled her to the upper echelons of junior motorsport.
