List of female Formula One drivers

Last updated

This is a list of female motor racing drivers who have taken part in the Formula One World Championship since the inception of the World Championship for Drivers in 1950.

Contents

Maria Teresa de Filippis was the first woman to enter a Formula One race. As of 2024, four other female drivers have entered at least one Grand Prix, although only two have qualified and started a race. Lella Lombardi has competed in the most Grands Prix of any female driver, with 17 entries and 12 starts. Desiré Wilson is the only woman to win a Formula One race of any kind, finishing first at the 1980 British Aurora F1 Championship.

History

Lella Lombardi remains the only woman to score points in Formula One Lombardi Brambilla cropped.jpg
Lella Lombardi remains the only woman to score points in Formula One
Maria Teresa de Filippis at Monza in 1958 Maria Teresa de Filippis Monza 1958.jpg
Maria Teresa de Filippis at Monza in 1958

The involvement of women in Formula One was pioneered by Italian Maria Teresa de Filippis, who entered five races between the 1958 and 1959 seasons in a Maserati 250F, starting three. [1] She was the first woman to qualify for a Grand Prix, and scored her best result of tenth place in the 1958 Belgian Grand Prix. [2] [3] [4] [5] She did not take part in the following race in France—the race director denied her involvement, stating that "the only helmet a woman should wear is the one at the hairdresser’s." [6] [1] Maria ended her career at the Monaco Grand Prix the following year. [7]

The only time I was prevented from racing was at the French Grand Prix. The race director said, "The only helmet a woman should wear is the one at the hairdresser’s." Apart from that, I don’t think I encountered any prejudice — only surprise at my success.

— Maria Teresa de Filippis

After fifteen years, another Italian driver, Lella Lombardi, competed in three seasons between 1974 and 1976. Lombardi entered seventeen races and started twelve, achieving her best career finish of sixth at the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix. The race was stopped following a spectator accident, but because at least 29 of the scheduled 71 laps had been completed, the rules stipulated that, for the first time, half points were to be awarded. [8] Lombardi's sixth-place finish meant she became the first, and so far only, woman to score points in the World Championship. [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]

In 1976, British professional skier Divina Galica attempted to qualify for three Grand Prix, including the British Grand Prix. This was notably the only Formula One Grand Prix in which multiple female drivers (Lombardi and Galica) entered. However, both failed to qualify. [12] [13] [15] [16]

In 1980, the South African Desiré Wilson tried to qualify for the British Grand Prix, but did not succeed. In the same year, she won at Brands Hatch in the British Aurora F1 championship, becoming the first woman to win a Formula 1 race. As of 2024, she is only female driver to win a Formula One race of any kind. As a result of this achievement, Wilson has a grandstand at Brands Hatch named after her. [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

As of October 2024, the last woman to have driven in a Formula One Grand Prix event was Italian former Formula 3000 driver Giovanna Amati, who was signed to Brabham at the beginning of the 1992 season. She failed to qualify for three races in which she was entered. She was replaced by Damon Hill, who also failed to qualify the same car in 6 out of the 8 following races he entered. Brabham's lead driver that season was Eric van de Poele, who only managed to qualify once. After 11 races, the team folded. [22] [23]

Drivers

Official drivers

Drivers listed in this table are those who have entered a Grand Prix. Actual starts are stated in brackets.

#NameSeasonsTeamsEntries
(starts)		 Points
1 Flag of Italy.svg Maria Teresa de Filippis 1958–1959 Maserati, Behra-Porsche 5 (3)0
2 Flag of Italy.svg Lella Lombardi 1974–1976 March, RAM, Williams 17 (12)0.5
3 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Divina Galica 1976, 1978 Surtees, Hesketh 3 (0)–
4 Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg Desiré Wilson 1980 Williams 1 (0)–
5 Flag of Italy.svg Giovanna Amati 1992 Brabham 3 (0)–

Test drivers and development drivers

Test driver Susie Wolff in 2012 Susie Wolff Cropped.jpg
Test driver Susie Wolff in 2012

Some female drivers have participated in non-competition testing and evaluation sessions with Formula One teams. IndyCar driver Sarah Fisher performed a demonstration run with McLaren after first practice for the 2002 United States Grand Prix. [24] Katherine Legge tested with Minardi at the Vallelunga Circuit in 2005. [25]

Other female drivers have been contracted to Formula One teams in testing and development capacities. In 2012, Williams signed Susie Wolff as a development and test driver. Two years later, Wolff became the first woman to take part in a Formula One race weekend in 22 years, when she participated in the first practice session at the British Grand Prix at Silverstone; [26] the previous time being in 1992, when Giovanna Amati who was the official Brabham team driver alongside Eric van der Poele, made three unsuccessful Grand Prix qualification attempts. Van der Poele and later Damon Hill, Amatis replacement only managed to qualify the uncompetitive Brabham 3 times out of 18 attempts and the team folded after 11 races. [27] [28] María de Villota, the daughter of Spanish Formula One driver Emilio de Villota, was hired as a test driver for Marussia [29] until her crash in 2012 at the Duxford Aerodrome during a straightline test. De Villota died from her injuries the following year. [30] In 2014, Sauber signed IndyCar Series driver Simona de Silvestro as an "affiliated driver", with the goal of having her compete in 2015. [31] In 2015 Lotus F1 signed Carmen Jordá to a deal including a run in a car. [32]

Sauber signed Colombian driver Tatiana Calderón as development driver for 2017. [33] Calderón was promoted from her development driver role to test driver for the 2018 season, and tested an F1 car for the first time with Sauber in Mexico in October 2018. [34] [35]

In 2019, Williams Driver Academy signed leading W Series contender Jamie Chadwick as a development driver for the Williams F1 team. [36] Chadwick later won the 2019 W Series championship, the 2021 W Series championship and the 2022 W Series championship, and continued as a Williams development driver in 2022. [37]

In September 2023, Aston Martin driver ambassador Jessica Hawkins tested a 2021-spec F1 car at the Hungaroring. [38]

Milestones

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giancarlo Fisichella</span> Italian racing driver (born 1973)

Giancarlo Fisichella, also known as Fisico, Giano or Fisi, is an Italian racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from 1996 to 2009. Fisichella won three Formula One Grands Prix across 14 seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1975 South African Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1975 South African Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Kyalami on 1 March 1975. It was race 3 of 14 in both the 1975 World Championship of Drivers and the 1975 International Cup for Formula One Manufacturers. It was the 21st South African Grand Prix since the first Grand Prix was held in 1934 and the ninth to be held at Kyalami just outside Johannesburg. It was held over 78 laps of the four kilometre circuit for a race distance of 320 kilometres.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 British Grand Prix</span> Motor car race

The 1980 British Grand Prix was a Formula One motor race held at Brands Hatch on 13 July 1980. It was the eighth round of the 1980 Formula One season. The race was held over 76 laps of the 4.207-km (2.614-mile) circuit for a total race distance of 319.73 km.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pedro de la Rosa</span> Spanish racing driver (born 1971)

Pedro Martínez de la Rosa is a Spanish former racing driver, motorsport executive and broadcaster, who competed in Formula One between 1999 and 2012. In Japanese motorsport, de la Rosa won the Formula Nippon Championship and the All-Japan GT Championship, both in 1997.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Emilio de Villota</span> Spanish racing driver (born 1946)

Emilio de Villota Ruíz is a former racing driver from Spain, born in Madrid. He entered 15 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix between 1976 and 1982, qualifying twice. He entered most Spanish Grand Prix between 1976 and 1982 and became a major force in the short-lived Aurora AFX Formula One Championship for F1 cars, winning the title in 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lella Lombardi</span> Italian racing driver (1941–1992)

Maria Grazia "Lella" Lombardi was an Italian racing driver who participated in 17 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix. Lombardi is one of two female drivers to qualify for Formula One and is the only female driver who scored points in Formula One.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maria Teresa de Filippis</span> Italian racing driver (1926–2016)

Maria Teresa de Filippis was an Italian racing driver, and the first woman to race in Formula One. She participated in five World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 May 1958, but scored no championship points. Though her Formula One racing career was brief, she won races in other series and is remembered as a pioneer in the sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Kubica</span> Polish racing and rally driver (born 1984)

Robert Józef Kubica is a Polish racing and rally driver, currently competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship for AF Corse and in the European Le Mans Series for AO. Kubica competed in Formula One between 2006 and 2021 and in the World Rally Championship from 2013 to 2016; he won the 2008 Canadian Grand Prix with BMW Sauber, and remains the only Polish driver to compete in Formula One. In endurance racing, Kubica won the 2023 FIA World Endurance Championship in the LMP2 class with WRT.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sauber Motorsport</span> Swiss Motorsport engineering company

Sauber Motorsport AG currently competing in Formula One as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber and also known simply as Kick Sauber or Sauber, is a Swiss motorsport engineering company. It was founded in 1970 by Peter Sauber, who progressed through hillclimbing and the World Sportscar Championship to reach Formula One in 1993. Sauber operated under their own name from 1993 until 2005 and from 2011 until 2018. They were known as BMW Sauber from 2006 to 2010 and as Alfa Romeo from 2019 to 2023 in partnership deals with BMW and Alfa Romeo, respectively. Sauber returned in 2024 as Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber, and is set to be the Audi works team from 2026 onwards, with the German outfit planning to acquire the Swiss team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Formula One World Championship</span> 61st season of the FIA Formula One World Championship

The 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 64th season of FIA Formula One motor racing. Red Bull Racing won its maiden Constructors' Championship with a 1–2 finish in Brazil, while Red Bull Racing's Sebastian Vettel won the Drivers' Championship after winning the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi. In doing so, Vettel became the youngest World Drivers' Champion in the 61-year history of the championship. Vettel's victory in the championship came after a dramatic season finale at Abu Dhabi where three other drivers could also have won the championship – Vettel's Red Bull Racing teammate Mark Webber, Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and McLaren's Lewis Hamilton.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kamui Kobayashi</span> Japanese racing driver (born 1986)

Kamui Kobayashi is a Japanese racing driver and motorsport executive, currently competing in the FIA World Endurance Championship for Toyota and in Super Formula for KCMG. Kobayashi competed in Formula One from 2009 to 2014. In endurance racing, Kobayashi has won two FIA World Endurance Championship titles, and won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2021, all with Toyota; he is also a two-time winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2019 and 2020 with Wayne Taylor Racing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Manor Motorsport</span> British motor racing company

Manor Motorsport Ltd, currently trading as Manor Endurance Racing Ltd is a British motor racing company that was formed in 1990 by former single-seater champion John Booth. Manor has participated as a team in many motorsport disciplines since its inception, including Formula One.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esteban Gutiérrez</span> Mexican racing driver (born 1991)

Esteban Manuel Gutiérrez Gutiérrez is a Mexican former racing driver and businessman, who competed in Formula One from 2013 to 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">María de Villota</span> Spanish racing driver

María de Villota Comba was a Spanish racing driver who competed in Superleague Formula and Euroseries 3000. She had an accident in straight-line testing as the Marussia Formula One team test driver, where she suffered serious head and facial injuries, and died one year later.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Felipe Nasr</span> Brazilian racing driver (born 1992)

Luiz Felipe de Oliveira Nasr is a Brazilian racing driver, currently competing in the IMSA SportsCar Championship for Porsche. Nasr competed in Formula One from 2015 to 2016. In endurance racing, Nasr has won three IMSA SportsCar Championship titles, and won the 12 Hours of Sebring in 2019 with AXR; he also won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2024 with Porsche.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marussia F1</span> Formula One racing team

The Marussia F1 Team was a Formula One racing team and constructor which was based in Banbury, Oxfordshire and then later Dinnington, South Yorkshire in the United Kingdom and competed with a Russian licence from 2012 to 2014 and a British licence in 2015. The team was operated by Manor Motorsport, which was previously a subsidiary of Marussia Motors, a now defunct sports car manufacturer which was based in Moscow. The team originally started racing in 2010 under the "Virgin Racing" name; the following year Virgin adopted Marussia as a title sponsor becoming "Marussia Virgin Racing" until being fully rebranded as the "Marussia F1 Team" for 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marussia MR01</span> Formula One motor racing car

The Marussia MR01 is the first Formula One racing car designed by Marussia F1 for the 2012 Formula One season, which was driven by Timo Glock and French rookie driver Charles Pic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Formula One drivers from Spain</span> Group of Formula One drivers who competed as Spanish

There have been fifteen Formula One drivers from Spain, the most successful of them being Fernando Alonso who won the World Drivers' Championship twice. Alonso is the only Spanish champion and one of only two Spanish drivers to win a Grand Prix, the other being Carlos Sainz Jr. Two other Spanish drivers have achieved a podium with Pedro de la Rosa and Alfonso de Portago having taken one apiece.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sauber C32</span> Formula One racing car

The Sauber C32 was a Formula One racing car designed and built by the Sauber team for use in the 2013 Formula One season. It was driven by Esteban Gutiérrez in his Formula One debut alongside Nico Hülkenberg, who joined the team after racing for Force India in 2012. The car was launched on 2 February 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2017 Formula One World Championship</span> 68th season of FIA Formula One World Championship

The 2017 FIA Formula One World Championship was the 71st season of Formula One motor racing. It featured the 68th Formula One World Championship, a motor racing championship for Formula One cars which is recognised by the sport's governing body, the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA), as the highest class of competition for open-wheel racing cars. Teams and drivers competed in twenty Grands Prix—starting in Australia on 26 March and ending in Abu Dhabi on 26 November—for the World Drivers' and World Constructors' championships.

References

  1. 1 2 Slotnik, Daniel (January 16, 2016). "Maria Teresa de Filippis, Pioneer of Auto Racing, Dies at 89" . The New York Times . Archived from the original on March 10, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  2. ↑ "1958 FRENCH GRAND PRIX - RACE RESULT". Formula 1 . Formula One Group. Archived from the original on October 6, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  3. ↑ "F1: Primeira mulher a pilotar um Formula 1 é "estrela" em Portimão" [F1: First woman to pilot a Formula 1 car is "star" in Portimão] (in Portuguese). Autoportal. October 12, 2010. Archived from the original on May 4, 2013. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  4. ↑ "Escocesa é a primeira mulher a participar de treino oficial da F1 em 22 anos" [Scot is the first woman to take part in official F1 training in 22 years]. JC (in Portuguese). UOL. July 4, 2014. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Maria Teresa de Filippis • Career & Character Info". Motorsport Database - Motor Sport Magazine . Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  6. ↑ Eve, James (March 5, 2006). "Maria Teresa De Filippis". The Observer . Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on August 6, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2015. At first they thought I wouldn't be able to compete, but then I went all the way to Formula One. The only time I was prevented from racing was at the French Grand Prix. The race director said: 'The only helmet a woman should wear is the one at the hairdresser's.' Apart from that I don't think I encountered any prejudice - only surprise at my success.
  7. ↑ Williams, Richard (January 11, 2016). "Maria Teresa de Filippis". The Guardian . ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  8. ↑ Aziz, Ishani, ed. (April 27, 2020). "Paradise lost: Montjuïc and the 1975 Spanish Grand Prix". Motor Sport . Retrieved September 16, 2024. McLaren's Jochen Mass, who just happened to be leading the few remaining runners at the stoppage, got his only grand prix victory, while Lella Lombardi became still the only female F1 points scorer (or, rather, half-a-point scorer due to the shortened race).
  9. ↑ "1975 SPANISH GRAND PRIX - RACE RESULT". Formula 1 . Formula One Group. April 27, 1975. Archived from the original on August 27, 2024. Retrieved September 16, 2024.
  10. ↑ Baldwain, Alan (May 5, 2015). "Lombardi feat was mere footnote to tragic 1975 race". Reuters. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved July 27, 2015. Finishing sixth, two laps behind McLaren winner Jochen Mass in a race stopped at one third distance with only half points awarded, was Italian Maria Grazia 'Lella' Lombardi in her March car.
  11. ↑ "Espanhola é esperança de presença feminina na F1 após 20 anos" [Spanish is hope of female presence in F1 after 20 years]. Esporte - Automobilismo (in Portuguese). iG. August 23, 2011. Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  12. 1 2 Micheletti, Marcos Junior. "Lella Lombardi". Terceiro Tempo. Universo Online. Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  13. 1 2 Jacques, Fábio (May 11, 2012). "Coluna La Rascasse: As mulheres e a Fórmula 1" (in Portuguese). F1Mania. Archived from the original on May 2, 2013. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Formula One's other half-point races". ESPN . Reuters. August 29, 2021. Archived from the original on October 24, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Women in Formula One". formula1-dictionary.net. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  16. ↑ Baldwin, Alan (May 7, 2015). "Women in F1: still a distant dream? - IOL Motoring F1 Grand Prix". IOL. Archived from the original on November 5, 2018. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Desiré Wilson: Formula 1's trailblazing driver". Silverstone Interactive Museum. October 4, 2019. Archived from the original on December 8, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  18. ↑ "Desire Wilson • Career & Character Info". Motorsport Database - Motor Sport Magazine . Archived from the original on July 20, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  19. ↑ Feltham, Luke (February 20, 2020). "Desiré Wilson: Fast but forgotten". The Mail & Guardian . M&G Media Ltd. Archived from the original on May 28, 2024. Retrieved October 6, 2024.
  20. ↑ Diepraam, Mattijs (October 1998). "F1's only female winner". FORIX 8W. Autosport.com. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
  21. ↑ "Desire Wilson: The story of F1's only race-winning woman - F1 Fanatic". F1 Fanatic. February 26, 2014. Retrieved July 27, 2015.
  22. ↑ "Lembra se de...Giovanna Amati?". Autosport.pt. September 8, 2008. Retrieved July 27, 2015.[ permanent dead link ]
  23. ↑ "Giovanna Amati - F1 Driver Profile". ESPN UK . Retrieved July 27, 2015.[ dead link ]
  24. ↑ "Sarah Fisher to drive McLaren". Autosport . Haymarket Publications. September 19, 2002. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  25. ↑ "Katherine Legge makes Minardi debut". F1.com. November 23, 2005. Retrieved March 16, 2014.
  26. ↑ "British Grand Prix 2014: Susie Wolff the first woman to take part in a Formula One race weekend in 22 years". Independent. July 4, 2014.
  27. ↑ Elizalde, Pablo (April 11, 2012). "Susie Wolff joins Williams as development driver". Autosport . Haymarket Publications . Retrieved April 13, 2012.
  28. ↑ Noble, Jonathan (July 15, 2013). "Wolff, Juncadella join Williams for young driver test at Silverstone". Autosport . Haymarket Publications . Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Maria de Villota joins Marussia F1 team as test driver for the 2012 season". Autosport. March 7, 2012. Retrieved April 13, 2012.
  30. ↑ "Former Formula One test driver Maria de Villota dies". USA Today . Associated Press. October 11, 2013. Retrieved October 12, 2013.
  31. ↑ Press Association (February 14, 2014). "Sauber hire IndyCar driver Simona de Silvestro to prepare her for F1". The Guardian . Archived from the original on March 26, 2024. Retrieved February 15, 2014.
  32. ↑ Autosport (February 26, 2014). "F1: Lotus signs Jorda to development role". Racer . Archived from the original on January 27, 2016. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  33. ↑ Benson, Andrew (February 28, 2017). "Tatiana Calderon: Sauber sign Colombian as development driver for 2017". BBC Sport . Retrieved March 2, 2017.
  34. ↑ Klein, Jamie (March 6, 2018). "Tatiana Calderon gets expanded Sauber Formula 1 team role". Autosport.com. Autosport Media UK. Retrieved March 6, 2018.
  35. ↑ Smith, Luke (October 31, 2018). "Tatiana Calderon hails 'incredible experience' after maiden F1 test". Crash.net. Retrieved November 6, 2018.
  36. ↑ "Jamie Chadwick joins Williams Racing Driver Academy". www.williamsf1.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2019. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  37. ↑ "Rokit Williams Racing: Jamie Chadwick". Williams F1 . Archived from the original on January 27, 2020. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  38. ↑ "Jessica Hawkins completes debut F1 test with AMF1 Team". Aston Martin F1 . September 26, 2023. Archived from the original on October 1, 2024. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  39. ↑ Eve, James (March 5, 2006). "Maria Teresa De Filippis". The Observer . Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on August 6, 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
  40. ↑ "GPGuide – Driver Profile: Maria Teresa de Filippis". Archived from the original on January 26, 2016. Retrieved August 4, 2013.
  41. ↑ Bouzanquet, Jean François (2009). Fast Ladies: Female Racing Drivers 1888 to 1970 . Dorchester: Veloce Publishing Ltd. ISBN   9781845842253. LCCN   2020415446 . Retrieved January 27, 2020– via Internet Archive.
  42. ↑ "1976 British Grand Prix - Race Result". Formula 1 . Formula One Group. Archived from the original on October 6, 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.