Could the Formula 1 Title Be Heading to a Woman Soon?

Formula 1 is experiencing a resurgence after years in the doldrums.

The golden age of Formula 1, from Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, seemed a long while ago around 2010. The racing had become predictable, overtaking limited, and the sport felt as if it were perhaps stagnating. Fast forward a decade, and we have genuine excitement and progression.

New tracks have helped breathe fresh life into the sport, and exciting young drivers battling at the top of the driver's table look set to define the future direction. Whilst the legend Lewis Hamilton hunts a record eighth world title, Max Verstappen, Carlos Sainz, and Charles Leclerc are all looking to make their names on the track. Verstappen is the favourite for the 2022 drivers title in Ladbrokes Formula 1 betting odds, but as the recent Austrian Grand Prix proved, there are a handful of constructors capable of putting their drivers on the podium.

For true progression, the sport needs one more thing; female drivers. A female driver hasn't started a race since the 1976 Austrian Grand Prix when ESPN explained Lella Lombardi of Italy finished 12th. Lombardi was a pioneer of the sport, finishing as high as sixth in Spain in 1975. Before her, Maria Teresa de Filippis became the first woman to finish a Formula 1 race, coming 10th in Belgium in 1958. Are we about to see change in the sport?

Recently, Colombia's Tatiana Calderon did look set to reach Formula 1; she reached Formula 2 driving for Arden and three seasons as a test driver for Alfa Romeo. However, instead of making that final step, she's shifted to IndyCar for the 2022 campaign. Jessica Hawkins is a development driver with the Aston Martin Formula 1 team, and whilst her endgame isn't a role on the circuits, she does believe being a role model for young female drivers is important.

"If I can be of any help to young women that feel like motorsport is a male-dominated sport, which it is still viewed as, if it helps them get into motorsport, then it's really nice to have been a part of that and show that females are welcome within motorsport and they do have a role here," she said.

The 27-year-old recently became the first female to win a UK touring car race, finishing ahead of an all-male field at Oulton Park in the final TCR race. Despite the win, she said she got no additional satisfaction from beating the men. "I just see everyone as equal," she explained. "Don't get me wrong, it was nice to walk away with being the first female to win a touring car race in the UK, that was lovely, but it wouldn't have made a difference if I was racing all women or all men. It felt good either way.

With Hawkins building her reputation and other female drivers across the UK (and globally) coming to the fore, could we see a female Formula 1 driver anytime soon? Alice Powell, Tatiana Calderon and Carmen Jordan have raced in Formula 1 junior categories, but there's currently no female driver in Formula 2 or 3. That means it could be some time before we see a female driver trying to get past Charles Leclerc, but make no mistake; it will eventually happen. It is just a case of when.

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