Will female drivers finally return to the grid?

The last woman to start an Formula 1 race was Italian Lella Lombardi back in 1976. There have been a handful of women who have come close to making it onto the Formula 1 grid since then, most notably Giovanna Amati in 1992, but they have all ultimately fallen short.

In recent years, there has been a renewed push for female representation in Formula 1, with the likes of Carmen Jorda, and Tatiana Calderon all taking part in Formula 1 testing. There have been other women who have come close to Formula 1 since then.

Most notable was Susie Wolff, who took part in practice sessions for the 2014 British and German Grands Prix with the Williams team. She was also a development driver for the team and did manage to take part in a few Formula 1 test sessions.

However, the question remains: will we see a female driver on the Formula 1 grid in the near future?

There are a number of factors that suggest we could see a female driver on the Formula 1 grid in the next few years.

Firstly, Formula 1 is undergoing a major overhaul for the 2021 season, with new technical regulations set to make the cars faster and more challenging to drive. This could open up the sport to a whole new pool of talented drivers, including women.

Secondly, Formula 1 is becoming increasingly commercialised and globalised, with new races being added to the calendar in countries like Vietnam and the United States. This could create opportunities for female drivers from those countries to race in Formula 1.

Finally, Formula 1 teams are under pressure to improve their environmental credentials and appeal to a wider audience. This could lead to teams looking to sign female drivers in order to improve their image and connect with female fans.

So, while nothing is certain, there are a number of factors that suggest we could see a female driver on the Formula 1 grid in the next few years. And that would be a huge step forward for gender equality in motorsport.